World Champion Bayekula unbeatable in her hometown Brussels

Just like last year at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, Léa Bayekula secured Belgian success in the wheelchair event. In addition, on the second evening of the Memorial, nine more Belgians competed in various Wanda Diamond League finals, including Nafi Thiam and Delphine Nkansa.

As it does every year, the Allianz Memorial Van Damme once again put several Paralympic disciplines in the spotlight, including the T54 400 metres for wheelchair athletes, Léa Bayekula’s class. The athlete from Brussels, the reigning World Champion, won her home race convincingly in 52.62, ahead of Finland’s Amanda Kotaja (54.32) and Switzerland’s Patricia Eachus (56.58).

Javelin thrower Timothy Herman (71.79 metres) and heptathlete Noor Vidts, who received a wildcard for the long jump (6.23 metres), achieved the best Belgian results on Saturday evening in the Wanda Diamond League finals, finishing sixth.

Seventh place went to Camille Laus (2:01.63) in the 800 metres and to Elien Vekemans (4m55) in the pole vault. High jumper Merel Maes (1m84) also took seventh place. Nafi Thiam cleared the same height as Maes, but recorded one more foul, meaning the triple Olympic heptathlon Champion was ranked eighth.

Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck (12.93) finished eighth in the 100-metre hurdles, whilst Helena Ponette (51.41) came eighth in the 400-metre race. Delphine Nkansa, clocking 11.29 in the 100 metres, failed to come close to Kim Gevaert’s 20-year-old Belgian record and finished ninth.

There was also an additional ‘invitational’ 100-metre race on the programme on Saturday evening. Rani Rosius was the best Belgian in that race with a time of 11.36. In the men’s race, Simon Verherstraeten clocked a time of 10.33.