Pentathlon: Nafi Thiam is European champion ahead of Noor Vidts!

Belgium scored a historic double in the pentathlon at the European Indoor Athletics Championships on Friday in Torun, Poland, where Nafissatou Thiam won gold ahead of silver medalist Noor Vidts.

Nafissatou Thiam totaled 4,904 points (the best world performance of the year) for 4,791 at Noor Vidts after the five events on the program. The bronze medal went to the Hungarian Xénia Krizsan with 4,644 points.

Thiam thus beats the Belgian record of Tia Hellebaut who had held for 14 years and on February 11, 2007 with 4,877 successful points in Ghent.

The 800m closing saw the Olympic heptathlon champion clocking 2: 18.80 enough to wipe Tia Hellebaut off the shelves while Noor Vidts clocked 2: 12.59, second in the race. Again, the two athletes beat their personal best.

This is the second European indoor pentathlon title for Nafi Thiam, 26, crowned in Belgrade in 2017 after a second place two years earlier. The triple Sportswoman of the year also has an Olympic title (2016), a world title (2017), a European title (2018) in the heptathlon to her list of achievements with also a title of vice-world champion in Doha in 2019. .

Noor Vidts, 24, is at the highest level in a championship with her first podium, she who had achieved the best world performer of the year (4.665 points) until tonight.

Earlier in the evening, Nafi Thiam had made a jump to 6m60 (1,040 pts) in length, while Noor Vidts, 2nd, made a first jump to 6m47 (997 pts). The two athletes signed their best personal performance in the discipline and consolidated their place in the general standings, heading straight for this historic double.

Nafissatou Thiam had taken the lead at the end of the morning session and the first three events with 3.024 points. Leading the competition from the first event, the 60 m hurdles she completed in 8.31 (1.059 pts), the Olympic champion of the heptathlon had jumped 1.89 m high (1.093 pts), to then throw the weight at 15m16 (872). His personal best was set during his European title in Belgrade in 2017 (4870 points).

Noor Vidts was then second achieving a magnificent championship with a personal best (8.27 over 60m hurdles (1068)) and two season records (1m83 at height (1.016) and 13m83 at weight (783) to total 2.867 points to 157 points by Thiam.

Vanessa Scaunet in the 800m semi-final, Mirte Fannes narrowly eliminated

Vanessa Scaunet managed the performance of finishing 3rd in her 800m series, synonymous with qualifying for the semi-finals of the European Athletics Indoor Championships early Friday afternoon in Torun, Poland. Mirte Fannes did not, however, manage to rank in useful order. It was a question of appearing in the Top 3 of the six series to return on Saturday evening to seek a place in the final.

Scaunet, 24, finished 3rd in 2: 06.44 of the 4th heat. Despite everything, the CABW athlete could be downgraded for hitting a competitor.

Fannes, 22, ran the 2nd heat in 2: 05.65 and placed 4th there on her debut in a major senior championship. She lost only 3 / 100th of a second on the finish line against the double European champion (2015, 2017) the Swiss Selina Rutz-Büchel, third in 2: 05.62 and qualified.

Our two representatives had been deliberated by the federation. They had not achieved the Belgian minimums for this Euro.

Elise Vanderelst in the 1500m final, Lindsey De Gande eliminated in the playoffs

Elise Vanderelst qualified for the 1500m final. He had to finish in the Top 2 of his series or achieve one of the other three best times of the three series. Engaged in the first series, the Montoise who ran a lot in the second lane finished third in 4: 10.49 behind the Briton Holly Archer (4: 09.77) and the German Gesa-Felicitas Krause (4: 09.92). The Belgian record holder (4: 05.71) obtained her qualification on time, 5th out of 22 competitors and first in draft.

Lindsey De Grande returns to the highest level despite a serious illness (chronic leukemia). At 31, she took 7th place in the 2nd series in 4: 18.45, 20th fastest time among the competitors, three seconds off her best time of the season (4: 15.44 on February 13 in Luxembourg).

Christian Iguacel in semifinals, Dylan Borlée and Alexander Doom eliminated in the playoffs

Dylan Borlée, entered in the first series of the 400m of the European Indoor Athletics Championships Friday morning in Torun, finished third in a time of 46.99 and missed the qualification because no athlete will be drafted on time. The Belgian will not play in the semi-finals, unlike Christian Iguacel, second in the third series thanks to a new personal best time.

The younger brother of twins Kevin and Jonathan Borlée had to do everything for everything in the home stretch to grab one of the first two places, qualifying for the semi-finals. Forced to make the outside, he finished 3rd in 46.99. He was beaten by the Slovenian Luka Janezic (46.73) and the Italian Vladimir Aceti (46.82).

If Dylan Borlée is not qualified for the semi-finals, he nevertheless signed his best time of the season. He had run in 47.08 in Madrid at the end of February.

In the process, Christian Iguacel impressed in the third series. The 24-year-old Belgian managed his race brilliantly. On the rope, he followed the fast Spanish rider Oscar Husillos (46.83) to finish second in 47.07. It is neither more nor less than the new personal best of the resident of LYRA, who had run in 47.16 Ghent at the beginning of February.

Alexander Doom, third member of the men’s 4×400-meter relay to line up individually, Alexander Doom also failed in third place. Yet second when it came time to fall back, the Belgian indoor champion this winter was overtaken by Briton James Williams. Swede Carl Bengtström won in 46.56 ahead of Williams (46.85) and Doom (47.18).

Vanessa Scaunet in the 800m semi-final, Mirte Fannes narrowly eliminated

Vanessa Scaunet managed the performance of finishing 3rd in her 800m series, synonymous with qualifying for the semi-finals. Mirte Fannes did not, however, manage to rank in useful order. It was a question of appearing in the Top 3 of the six series to return on Saturday evening to seek a place in the final.

Scaunet, 24, finished 3rd in 2: 06.44 of the 4th heat. Despite everything, the CABW athlete could be downgraded for hitting a competitor.

Fannes, 22, ran the 2nd heat in 2: 05.65 and placed 4th there on her debut in a major senior championship. She lost only 3 / 100th of a second on the finish line against the double European champion (2015, 2017) the Swiss Selina Rutz-Büchel, third in 2: 05.62 and qualified.

Our two representatives had been deliberated by the federation. They had not achieved the Belgian minimums for this Euro.

Cynthia Bolingo in the 400m semifinals, Camille Laus and Hanne Maudens eliminated in the playoffs

Cynthia Bolingo joined the 400m semi-finals of the European Indoor Athletics Championships on Friday morning in Torun, Poland. On the other hand, Camille Laus, Hanne Maudens were eliminated in the playoffs. The qualifying system differed from that of the men’s 400m since, in addition to the first two of the seven series, the other four best times were sent to the semi-finals scheduled in the evening (19:33). For men, only the first two of the 9 heats reached the three semi-finals. Belgian champion Cynthia Bolingo, European vice-champion in 2019 in Glasgow, but who was injured for almost two years, finished 3rd in her series in 52.27. Thanks to this performance, the 5th of all the competitors, she qualified on time. She greatly improved her best time of the season, which was 52.72. His national record has been set at 51.62 since March 2, 2019, during the Euro.

Camille Laus finished 4th in the 2nd series in a disappointing time for her from 53.68 to 89 / 100th of her personal best (52.79). Hanne Maudens confirmed her consistency. Fifth in the 5th series, she completed both laps in 53.63 seconds, 11/100 off her personal best.