Star of French athletics in the 1960s, half-distance runner Michel Jazy died at the age of 87, the French Athletics Federation (FFA) told AFP on Thursday, confirming information from the newspaper l ‘Team.
“A huge loss for everything he represented”
Double European champion, Olympic vice-champion over 1,500 meters in 1960, Michel Jazy held nine world records in the middle distance during his career and his exploits aroused immense popular enthusiasm. Star of French sport at the time, alongside cyclist Jacques Anquetil, he shone from the 800 to 5000 meters. “We are able to confirm the death of Michel Jazy,” the FFA told AFP.
Born in 1936 in Pas-de-Calais into a family of Polish miners, Michel Jazy obtained French nationality at the age of 18 before participating in his first Olympic Games at the age of 20, in 1956. At a time when the world championships athletics did not yet exist, he then won everything except the Olympic title, failing in 2nd place over 1500 m in 1960 then just off the podium over 5000 meters in 1964.
“I am devastated,” the president of the French Athletics Federation André Giraud told AFP. “For the world of athletics and for the FFA, it is a huge loss for everything it represented, especially in this year of the Olympic Games in Paris,” he added. “Jazy left his mark on our sport with his results and his world records, he was a great figure in French sport,” reacted to AFP Pierre Weiss, former director of the FFA and close friend of the family. “With (figure skater) Alain Calmat, he moved the crowds into the bistros, where there were TV screens, it was something,” he added.