Belgium’s road to Olympic gold: the marathon
At the last Olympics in Tokyo, Belgium had its most successful Games since 1948, with a total of seven medals. This year's Paris Olympics could be even better, with plenty of Belgian candidates in the running for a medal. Today, Belga English looks at the marathon.
Bashir Abdi stunned the world in Tokyo in 2021 by finishing third in the marathon. The 35-year-old was cheered across the line by his Dutch friend and training partner Abdi Nageeye, who took home silver. It was Belgium’s first Olympic medal in the marathon since Karel Lismont's bronze in 1976.
Abdi, born in Somalia, came to Belgium as a refugee, settling in Ghent with his father, sister and brother when he was 13. “I always wanted to thank my new country by winning a medal,” he said after the marathon.
Rotterdam legend
Whether he will be able to repeat his performance is another question. He maintained his good form in 2022, finishing third at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and the London Marathon. 2023 saw him winning the Rotterdam marathon, finishing only 11 seconds slower than his personal best, which is also the course record.
This year, however, has not gone well so far. Abdi suffered a stress fracture in the pelvis, which meant he was unable to run for several months. It remains a guess as to how well he has recovered, as he decided not to run a half-marathon at the European Championships in Rotterdam in favour of altitude training in Ethiopia.
But Abdi did participate in the Great Manchester Run, his first race since his injury, and set a Belgian record in the 10km on the road. While a 10km race cannot be compared to the 42,195km of a marathon, it is a promising sign for his form in the run-up to Paris.
Former European champion
Abdi will be joined in Paris by Belgian teammate Koen Naert. The 34-year-old is among Europe’s best marathon runners. He peaked in 2018, when he won the European Championships in Berlin, but also posted a very good result with 10th place at the Tokyo Olympics.
A medal in Paris seems unlikely for Naert, given the strong competition. "I know I need a little miracle to get on the podium,” he said during an interview with Athletics Weekly.
But an Olympic diploma, reserved for the eight best competitors of an event, is definitely possible. At the most recent New York Marathon, his last competitive marathon before the Olympics, Naert finished fifth, beating World Championship silver medallist Maru Teferi among others.
The marathon is scheduled for the final weekend of the Games. The men run on Saturday 10 August, the women a day later.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS
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