Naomi Riskwait

Happy birthday to France’s sprinter Naomi Riskwait, a French indoor silver medallist who reached the 100m final at the French Elite Championships four weeks ago.

Naomi’s 2026 has been relentless. She opened it with 7.33 over 60m at Limoges, a personal best. She followed it with silver at the French Elite Indoor Championships in Aubière, running 7.37. She then took her 100m down to 11.36 with a legal wind at Poitiers in June, another personal best. And in late July at Albi she made the final of the French national championships, where she also ran 11.40 with the wind behind her. Indoor medal, outdoor final, two personal bests, one season.

She has been collecting titles alongside it for years: French university champion over 100m and again over 60m, Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional 100m champion, a top-six finish at the World University Games, a selection for the World Relay Championships, and an Oscar du Sport from Sud Ouest and the Université de Bordeaux.

Now the part that makes the rest of it slightly ridiculous. Naomi is in the final year of a degree in dental surgery at Bordeaux, graduating next month. She trains six times a week. Her own line on how the two fit together is that they simply do, as long as the objectives are clear and the commitment is total. She was born in Pau, she is Béarnaise, and she has said out loud where this is going: Los Angeles, 2028.

Joyeux anniversaire, Naomi! Nos vœux les plus sincères — santé, bonheur et une saison encore plus rapide que celle-ci. 🎂🎁🎉🫶🫶🇫🇷