Countdown
The IAAF is saddened to learn that Raymond Lorre, the creator of the Paris Marathon, died on Friday (5) at the age of 92.
A native of Saint-Brieuc, Lorre started out in athletics as a talented 400m runner, winning French titles at the distance in 1946 and 1949.
After retiring from competitive athletics, he became involved in organising athletics meetings and in 1974 he staged the inaugural Leon Signoret Memorial at the Jean Bouin Stadium, a forerunner of the Meeting de Paris.
He went on to create the Paris Marathon in 1976, which has since become one of the biggest road races in the world.
IAAF
