A Close Up On… Brussels

One of the great things about the IAAF Diamond League series of meetings is the diversity on offer. From Scandinavia to China, Southern Europe to the USA, every meeting has developed a rich history, in some cases stretching back decades.


The Lowdown


The final event of the 14 IAAF Diamond League meetings is the AG Insurance Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, where the Diamond Race winners in the remaining 16 disciplines will be decided. Like last week in Zurich and unlike the first 12 IAAF Diamond League meetings, eight points will be on offer for winners hoping to secure the Diamond Trophy in the Belgian capital.


While the meeting is now known as the season finale and has been part of the IAAF Diamond League since 2010, the event was first held in 1977, having been organised by a group of local journalists in order to honour the Belgian endurance runner Ivo Van Damme, a double silver medalist at the 1976 Olympics, who had lost his life in a car accident.


Hometown Heroes


The focus of Belgian athletics fans in recent years has been on the members of one family – the Borlees. Twins Jonathan and Kevin and their sister Olivia have all represented Belgium with distinction in the 400m and sprints, picking up a fine collection of medals in the process. The latter two are both on the 400m start lists at Memorial Van Damme 2014.


Prior to emergence of the Borlees, all Belgian hopes had centred on Tia Hellebaut, the 2008 Olympic high jump champion who, for more than 16 years prior to retirement in 2013, had competed at the highest level.


However, a new breed of Belgian talent has emerged. Nafi Thiam is the European Junior champion in the heptathlon and picked up the bronze medal at the recent Zurich European Championships, while Ann Zagre (100m hurdles) was fourth at the same meeting and has a best of 12.79.


Iconic Performances


As is befitting of a meeting renowned for the high quality of its competition, there have been numerous world records set in Brussels.


In 1997 there was an incredible distance double, as the great Daniel Koman set a new 5000m record of 12:39.74 on the same night that the legendary Paul Tergat clocked 26:27.85, a new best for 10000m.


Indeed, Brussels was seen as something of an endurance runner’s paradise, with Kenenisa Bekele setting another 10000m world record, 26:17.53, in 2005.


However, in recent years the performance that stands out against all others is the USA’s Aries Merritt’s stunning 12.80 seconds over 110m hurdles at the end of the 2012 season.


The year before, Yohan Blake has scorched to the second quickest 200m in history, 19.26 200m, which remains an IAAF Diamond League record. Other IAAF Diamond League bests set that year were Anna Chicherova’s 2.05m high jump and Bekele’s 26:43.16 10000m. In 2010 Andreas Thorkildsen threw 89.88m to take the javelin and in 2012 Francine Niyonsaba set a record 1:56.59 over 800m.





Dean Hardman for the IAAF Diamond League