Belgian Legends from Memorial’s 50-year history honoured

The opening ceremony on the second evening of the 50th edition of the Allianz Memorial Van Damme paid an expansive tribute to the Belgian athletes who have helped make the meeting great over the past 50 years. From Gaston Roelants to Kim Gevaert, from Miel Puttemans to Tia Hellebaut.

Thirty Belgian athletes who have featured on the Memorial’s main programme and won a medal at European Championships, World Championships or the Olympic Games were in the spotlight on Saturday evening. A fitting tribute to generations of Belgian athletes who have helped put the Allianz Memorial Van Damme on the international athletics map.

We are delighted to name them all: Eddy Annys, Eline Berings, Cynthia Bolingo, Svetlana Bolshakova, Dylan Borlée, Kevin Borlée, Jacques Borlée, Jonathan Borlée, Olivia Borlée, Eliott Crestan, Kim Gevaert, Tia Hellebaut, Christophe Impens, Isaac Kimeli, Hanna Mariën, Philip Milanov, Armand Parmentier, Willy Poleunis, Miel Puttemans, Gaston Roelants, Sandra Stals, Paul Thys, Cédric Van Branteghem, William Van Dijck, Annemie Van Nuffel, Jana Van Lent, Bob Verbeeck, Jochem Vermeulen, Erik Wymeersch and Saliyya Guisse.

Thanks to the support of the National Lottery, a great many other former Memorial athletes were also in the stands on Saturday evening to celebrate the 50th Memorial together. The crowd thanked them with a warm round of applause. Together, these athletes have helped shape the history of the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, which has now grown into one of the most prestigious athletics meetings in the world.

The three international athletes inducted into the Allianz Memorial Van Damme Hall of Fame this year were also honoured, just as they had been on Friday: Mike Boit, Dwight Stones and Carl Lewis. And, of course, tribute was once again paid to Ivo Van Damme. “Glory, glory, hallelujah! Ivo’s legacy lives on,” sang Helmut Lotti.