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The Hall of Fame is the Allianz Memorial Van Damme’s gallery of honour. In the meeting’s almost 50-year history, virtually all the world’s greatest athletes of their time have graced the track of the King Baudouin Stadium. Olympic and World Championship medallists have also added colour to the Memorial on numerous occasions and left their mark.
Every year, the Hall of Fame jury, led by founder Wilfried Meert, adds new athletes to the Hall of Fame. This year, Aries Merritt and William Van Dijck are bestowed that honour.
2012: Merrit sets legendary World Record
Merritt is considered one of the most inspiring hurdlers ever. In 2012, the then 27-year-old American had a dream year: he became Olympic Champion in the 110 metres hurdles in London in 12.92 and World Indoor Champion in the 60 metres hurdles. The absolute highlight came on 7 September during the Memorial in Brussels, where Merritt, as the brand-new Olympic Champion, set a new world record of 12.80 seconds – a record that still stands today.
His career has also seen some serious setbacks. In 2013, Merritt was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. Still, he fought back: Merritt underwent months of medical treatment and in 2015, just before a kidney transplant – he received a kidney from his sister – he won bronze at the World Championships in Beijing. Merritt remained active even after his transplant.
In 2017, he won the Diamond League meeting in Rome with a time of 13.11, and in 2021, he narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. “I wanted to show that you can still achieve something after a transplant,” he later reflected. After his active career, Merritt found a new passion in coaching. Since 2024, he has been assistant coach for sprint, hurdles and relay at Texas State University.
Merritt’s story is one of talent, perseverance and unparalleled resilience.
1986: Van Dijck sets legendary Belgian Record
William Van Dijck is one of the most influential steeplechase athletes of his generation and ranks among the elite in Belgian athletics history. He specialised in the 3000-metre steeplechase and successfully won bronze medals at the 1987 World Championships and the 1994 European Championships.
Van Dijck also took part in the Memorial Van Damme no fewer than twelve times, eleven times in the 3000 metres steeplechase and once – in 1982 – in the 5000 metres. He achieved his greatest triumph in Brussels on 5 September 1986.
In the Heysel Stadium brimming with wild enthusiasm, Van Dijck ran a world-best time that year of 8:10.01, beating the British athlete Colin Reitz and Kenyan Julius Kariuki, among others, and setting a new Belgian record. “I consider that to be the highlight of my career” Van Dijck later said proudly.
His record remained unbroken for decades: in 2025, almost 40 years later, it still stands, making Van Dijck the holder of one of the oldest Belgian athletics records. Only two records have stood longer: the 100 metres (10.02/Roland Desruelles, 1985) and the high jump (2.36 metres/Eddy Annys, 1985).
For his exceptional achievement, Van Dijck received the National Trophy for Sporting Merit in 1986 and was crowned Belgian Sportsman of the Year. And now he has earned a place in the Hall of Fame of the Allianz Memorial Van Damme!
Hall of Fame Allianz Memorial Van Damme:
· 2025 Aries Merritt
· 2025 William Van Dijck
· 2024 Michael Johnson
· 2023 Sergey Bubka
· 2023 Marie-José Pérec
· 2023 Asafa Powell
· 2022 Jackie Joyner-Kersee
· 2022 Paul Tergat
· 2022 Daniel Komen
· 2021 Mike Powell
· 2021 Blanka Vlasic
· 2019 Willie Banks
· 2019 Gail Devers
· 2019 Sebastian Coe
· 2018 Merlene Ottey
· 2018 Hicham El Guerrouj
· 2018 Kim Gevaert
· 2018 Tia Hellebaut
· 2017 Heike Drechsler
· 2017 Steve Cram
· 2017 Wilfried Meert