“Hanne is a very good friend and she was the first to encourage me and congratulate me”smiles Naomi Van Den Broeck, who holds three of the six best Belgian times in history when she started the 400 m hurdles 14 months ago.
“All day, I was a little nervous because I had the feeling that it might be my day and I knew I was expectedresumes the one who ran his 12th hedge race from 2025. When I got into the stadium, however, I only felt positive waves. “
If the Belgian record constitutes for her “The icing on the cake “ of an evening “that I will never forget “the 29 -year -old athlete judges his perfectible race.
I hope to see a 53 second time in Tokyo.
“I crossed the last hedge with the bad leg and I lost two or three tenths. I want to improve this at the Tokyo Worlds, where I hope to see a 53 -second time”said Naomi. Who welcomes himself to having started his season in May. “”Being a beginner, it was important to make mistakes as soon as possible to improve and be comfortable with my race scheme … “
Ruben Querinjean (3 000 m st./8.09.47)
Introduced the day before the Hall of Fame of the Van Damme Memorial, William Van Dijck did not believe his eyes! While he was approaching the 40th anniversary of his Belgian record in the 3,000 m steepleple (8.10.01, in 1986), the former athlete attended the surprising victory of Ruben Querinjean in … 8.09.47, Friday evening.
The member of WACO, which holds the Belgian and Luxembourg nationalities while representing the Grand Duchy internationally on the tracks for four years (World Athletics considers it only as the Luxembourg Recordon), is indeed the new holder of the national record of the fatherland of his mother, Belgium.
“It’s incredible!” Comments Querinjean, who qualified for the finals of the Diamond League in Zurich. “”In the last meters, I felt that it was possible to win. I have great confidence in my sprint, but winning a victory at the highest level is another story. I was aiming for a time of 8.12, I had never thought that a time under 8.10 was possible. “
23 years old, this native of Malmedy, who is trained in Waremme by Thomas Vandormael, will represent Luxembourg at the Tokyo Worlds next month. More than ever, the final will be its big goal.
Jana van Lent (5,000 m/14.37.47)
More anticipated that one, the female Belgian record of the 5,000 mA, too, was lowered, but without changing owners. Jana Van Lent, who signed a time of 14.37.47, ran five seconds faster than her old best brand (14.42.93, on July 19, in London), under which Elise Vanderelst also passed (14.40.70) during the memorial. The two young women will represent Belgium on this distance in Tokyo, the Antwerp of Excelsior dubbing with the 10,000 m.
“While an attempted world record was announced, it surprised me to see that the race has become a fairly tactical battle”said Jana Van Lent, who was the first Belgian under the 15 minutes, on July 3, and who has just joined the top 40 of the best European performers of all time. “”In a cleaner race, I can still win a few seconds. “
And approach the chronometric threshold of the 14.30, something that still seemed unimaginable at the start of the season. But this year has completely changed the look at the discipline. Nine of the ten best Belgian performances in the history of the 5,000 m were established in 2025 for a total gain of 33 seconds. Lisa Rooms has signed the ninth, while Jana Van Lent and Elise Vanderelst share the eight fastest times fairly. And it may not be over!