Broeders and Bayekula Belgian Stars on First Night

Léa Bayekula, who became Paralympic Champion in the 100 and 400 metres in the T54 class in Paris, competed in the 800 metres at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme on Friday evening. The Brussels native was loudly cheered on by her home crowd at the King Baudouin Stadium and won convincingly in 1:52.88, ahead of Ireland's Shauna Bocquet (1:56.52) and Türkiye’s Zübeyde Supurgeci (2:07.40).

Ben Broeders jumped over 5m82 in the pole vault. This left him just 3cm below his Belgian record. It earned him a shared third place with American Sam Kendricks. The Wanda Diamond League Champion in the pole vault is of course the untouchable Mondo Duplantis, who cleared 6m11, setting a new meeting record.

Another handsome Belgian performance in the Wanda Diamond League final was by Michael Obasuyi who finished fifth in the 110-metre hurdles in 13.31. An equally brilliant fifth place went to Jochem Vermeulen in the 1500 metres. He finished in 3:32.15.

Isaac Kiemli finished a fine sixth in the 5000 metres in 12:58.16. Another Belgian, Thomas Vanoppen, acted as pacer in this final. Jonathan Sacoor (45.93 in the 400 metres) and Philip Milanov (62m21 in the discus throw) also finished sixth. Rani Rosius finished ninth in the 100 metres in 11.37.

FINAL RACE OF HANNE CLAES AND KEVIN BORLEE

A handful of Belgians also competed in an extra 400 metres in both the men's and women's events. For Hanne Claes and Kevin Borlée, it was the last race of their careers.

Claes stopped the clock at 52.03, good for fifth place. Another Belgian Cheetah, Helena Ponette, finished sixth in 53.08 in the same race. Kevin Borlée did not push it in his final race and finished sixth in 47.18. Victory went to another Belgian, Daniel Segers, who ran a new personal best with 45.38. Dylan Borlée (45.59) was second, Florent Mabille (45.80) third.

NEUHAUS BEST OF BELGIUM TROPHY

At the end of the first evening of the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, the Neuhaus Best of Belgium Trophy was also awarded. Neuhaus awards this unique trophy to a Belgian athlete who has achieved something extraordinary this year. The chosen one was Noor Vidts, who won bronze in the heptathlon at the Paris Olympics. The chocolate trophy is a unique creation by the master chocolatier of Neuhaus, specially made for this Allianz Memorial Van Damme.