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Every year a jury, under the presidence of Memorial-founder Wilfried Meert, inducts new athletes to the Hall of Fame. This year Carl Lewis, Mike Boit and Dwight Stones will receive the honours.
Carl Lewis was the uncrowned superstar of international athletics back in the 1980ies and 1990ies. Only a few weeks after taking four times gold at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984 Lewis also excelled at the Memorial. He won the Long Jump with 8,65m, a phenomenal performance at sea level. In 1997 Lewis ended his glorious career at the age of 36, with 9 Olympic Golds under his belt. Lewis took part 8 times at the Memorial and he delighted the crowd with victories in the Long Jump, the 100m and the 200m.
Mike Boit from Kenia and Dwight Stones from the USA will also be inducted in the Hall of Fame of the Allianz Memorial Van Damme. Boit won the 800m in the very first Memorial Van Damme in 1977, the event in which the late Ivo Van Damme won Silver at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Boit was the first African athlete to fully become part of the international athletics meeting circuit. Dwight Stones belongs to the same generation and won the High Jump in that same first meeting in honour of Ivo Van Damme. Stones dominated the High Jump at that time and set a new World Record 3 times.
The Allianz Memorial Van Damme celebrates its 50th edition and is again the Final of the Diamond League. Spectators can enjoy international athletics on two consecutive days, on Friday and Saturday Sep. 4th and 5th. Carl Lewis, Mike Boit and Dwight Stones will have a seat in the VIP stands, next to other athletes who contributed to the fame of the Memorial. All Belgian athletes who have ever taken part in the Memorial are also invited to this anniversary edition on Saturday.