Gaston Roelants at the Cross Cup de Hannut (© Organisers)
Plaque name: Cross Cup de Hannut
Location: Ville de Hannut, Maison communale, Rue de Landen 23, 4280 Hannut.
Plaque awarded: 24/01/2025
Reason: Plaque Category – Competition
The Hannut cross country meeting is a remarkable international success story considering that Hannut is a small town of approximately 15,000 inhabitants.
The history of the event, which is annually staged at the Stade Lucien Gustin, the home of the local athletics club “FCHA - Hannut Athlétisme”, is marked by two distinct periods.
The meeting was founded in 1941 and the initial period, spanning four decades and masterfully led by brothers Lucien and Roger Gustin alongside the driving force of the time, Leon Bolle, laid the foundation for what has become the most significant event in the Hesbaye region.
During this era, Belgium’s top athletes such as Marcel Van de Wattyne, Gaston Roelants and Emile Puttemans attracted huge crowds around the football stadium. Local athletes already faced fierce competition from Europe’s best, particularly British stars like Gordon Pirie, Ken Norris, Derek Ibbotson and Tim Johnston.
In 1977, a new period was ushered in with the introduction of a women’s race. The event’s growing reputation earned it a spot in the national CrossCup challenge in the early 1980s. This new milestone brought increased financial support, enabling the participation of young, talented athletes such as Kenenisa Bekele, Mathew Birir, Linet Masai, Sifan Hassan and Peruth Chemutai, many of whom went on to become world or Olympic champions. Belgium’s best, including Veronique Collard, Vincent Rousseau and Ruddy Walem, had to fight hard to secure podium finishes.
Year after year the prestige of the CrossCup in Hannut has soared, thanks to its exceptional roster of participants. In 2022, the Hannut organisation reached new heights by becoming part of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold, a challenge that brings together the most important cross-country events worldwide.