Belgian women sprinters gearing up for Osaka – Belgian Championships

  Kim Gevaert won the 100m and the 200m in 11.22 and 22.77 on her birthday at the Belgian national championships in Brussels. However, Gevaert will not be the only Belgian sprinter to be looked at in the World Championships in Osaka. Olivia Borlée and Hanna Mariën produced seasonal best performances in the 100m and the 200m behind the double European sprint champion. The Belgian women sprint relay team looks stronger than ever going into the World Championships.

Borlée coming of age as a sprinter

Borlée, only 21-years-old, came into the international spotlights in 2006 when she ran a 22.98 personal best at the national championships. In 2007, she became more consistent and stronger as well, producing notable 100m progress. Borlée bettered her PB winning her heat Saturday in 11.50, and in the final on Sunday, she came in second behind Gevaert in 11.41, slicing another .09 seconds off of her PB.

“I’m very happy with my performance in the 100m,” Borlée said. “We ran into a slight headwind but I kept going strong till the finish line. The hard work in training pays off, I’m getting closer. Still, I’m not a powerhouse type of sprinter, that’s why my future rather lies with the 200m. And I love to sprint on the bend as well.”

Gevaert ran a furious bend in the 200m final and was well ahead of the field when she came into the straight. Gevaert cruised to victory in 22.77, with Borlée finishing second in 23.14, a seasonal best performance. “I’m satisfied with my race, but I missed the qualifying mark for Osaka today. I’ll have one more try next week in La Chaud de Fonds.”

Sprint relay team getting ready for Osaka

Hanna Mariën came in third in both the 100m and the 200m. Mariën ran 11.44 in the 100m this season and she set a seasonal best at 200m this weekend in 23.17. The fourth spot in the relay team is likely to be reserved for Elodie Ouedraogo. The 26-year-old has been in the Belgian women’s sprint relay team ever since it was set up in 2002. Ever since, the team competed succesfully in the European Championships, the World Championships and in the Olympic Games. Ouedraogo runs the third leg, handing off to Gevaert who runs the anchor. Ouedraogo converted to the 400m Hurdles in 2006, an event in which she will compete at the World championships. But she isn’t letting the relay team down and she continues working at her sprinting speed. On Sunday she ran a season’s best of 23.55 in the 200m final.

Eline Berings, also only 21, produced a fine exhibit of sprint hurdling, winning in 13.15 into a headwind. Berings and Davin (11.60 on the flat and 13.18 on the hurdles in 2007) also earned their spots on the Belgian relay team.

Elsewhere...

Pieter Desmet and Krijn Van Koolwijk qualified for Osaka in the 3000m Steeplechase last week in Heusden-Zolder. This weekend they worked together to keep the pace going and convincingly finished in 8.30.78 and 8.31.75 respectively.

High jumper Tia Hellebaut tested her form in the Long Jump and won the title with a 6.41m leap. François Gourmet won the Decathlon at the French Championships in Niort in a new national record of 7955 points.

More Belgian athletes will be competing at the Universiade in Bangkok (THA) Therefore, the Belgian team for Osaka will only be definitively designated on 13 August.

Ivo Hendrix for the IAAF

Selected results -

Men
100m:
 1. Kristof Beyens 10.54 (heats 10.39)
200m:
 1. James Dolphin (NZL) 20.76
 2. Anthony Ferro 20.79
 3. Arnout Matthijs 20.98
400m:
 1. Niko Verekauta (FIJ) 46.22
 2. Kevin Borlée 46.38
110H:
1. Adrien Deghelt 13.71 (heats 13.58)
400H:
 1. Vincent Vanryckeghem 50.25
3000SC:
 1. Pieter Desmet 8.30.78
 2. Krijn Van Koolwijk 8.31.75
PV:
1. Kevin Rans 5.45m
SP:
 1. Wim Blondeel 18.85m
JT :
1. Tom Goyvaerts 75.20m

Women -
100m
 1. Kim Gevaert 11.22
 2. Olivia Borlée 11.41
 3. Hanna Mariën 11.48
200m
 1. Kim Gevaert 22.77
 2. Olivia Borlée 23.14
 3. Hanna Mariën 23.23
1500m:
 1. Veerle Dejaeghere 4.20.12
100H:
 1. Eline Berings 13.15 (heats 13.09)
LJ:
1. Tia Hellebaut 6.41m
SP:
 1. Catherine Timmermans 16.01m