Broeders-Bol set to compete in Brussels

On 4 and 5 September, the 50th Allianz Memorial Van Damme promises two days of top-class athletics. One of the highlights on Saturday night will be the women’s 800 metres, where spectators at the King Baudouin Stadium will be able to see Femke Broeders-Bol in action. The Dutch crowd favourite, who tied the knot earlier this year with Belgian pole vault record-holder Ben Broeders, has made a successful switch this season from the 400-metre hurdles to the 800 metres.

Broeders-Bol immediately established herself amongst the world’s best in her new discipline. She secured second place at both the Diamond League meetings in Paris and London. With her personal best of 1:55.60, she is third in the 2026 world rankings. That ranking is led by Audrey Werro with a time of 1:53.80. With that time, the 22-year-old Swiss athlete is the third-fastest 800-metre runner of all time, and the fastest since 1983. It was announced at the end of June that Werro would be competing at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme.

A new name in the men’s middle-distance events is Cameron Myers. The 20-year-old Australian is the 2026 revelation in the 1,500 metres and the mile. This season, Myers won at the Diamond League meetings in Paris (1,500 metres) and Eugene (mile), and last weekend he took silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (mile). He will compete in the 1,500 metres at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme on Friday 4 September.