The high mass of athletics in our country is on the program tonight. The Memorial Van Damme gathers a lot of toppers and Belgians. Commentator Kris Meertens lists 5.5 reasons not to miss any of it. Watch tonight from 19.15 on Canvas.
From 19.50 h: high jump with the women
The women’s high jump is scheduled for early in the evening. Nafi Thiam takes on the Olympic podium. Thiam is injury free and motivated for her last game of the season. How close does she get to 2 meters?
The bar is higher for Mahuchik, McDermott and especially for Olympic champion Maria Lasitskene. We can expect a nice jump around 2.04 meters.
8.11 pm: women’s mile
Like the Russian Lasitskene, the Dutch Sifan Hassan hates losing. Tokyo’s female athlete is going to run the mile in Brussels. Her world record of 4’12” may remain untouched after an improbably tough season, but the meeting record of the Memorial (4’16”) could well be broken.
9.04 pm: 200m for the women
Even more girl power in the 200 meters. With the Namibian duo Mboma-Masilingi, the British Dina Asher-Smith and Sha’carri Richardson.
The latter is the new American sprint sensation, which Tokyo missed after a positive doping control for the use of cannabis. In Brussels she wants to run under 22 seconds for the first time. If she forgoes the cannabis, she will certainly succeed.
8.23 pm: 100m for the men
With the men, Trayvon Bromell is looking for revenge for his failed Games in the 100 meters. The American who ran the fastest time of the year with 9″77, missed the final due to a lack of focus.In Brussels he wants to put things in order, but whether he can help his compatriot Fred Kerley,
can keep the silver medal from Tokyo, that remains to be seen.
From 19.20 h: pole vault for the men
And then, at the end of the meeting, we see Armand Duplantis jump to the world record with the pole vault. The rock and roll Swede is in shape and wants to do something “special” at the Memorial.
In Paris last week, he passed 6.01 metres, an inch better than the meeting record in Brussels he set last year. The chance that “Mondo” will jump 6.19 (new WR) is obviously small, but it exists. If Duplantis is in shape, the conditions are very good, the world record could be broken at any meeting.
The young Swede is far from knowing his limits. So why not tonight in a churning King Baudouin stadium. The high altitudes may arrive at a little before 10 p.m.
And the half? Public
30,000 athletics enthusiasts in the King Baudouin Stadium. Many spectators at an athletics competition, we haven’t seen that in 2 years. The performance was excellent at the Tokyo Games, but with a full stadium it would have been so much better.
Tonight, the enthusiastic Memorial audience can finally let off steam in Brussels. The weather will be good, our Olympic heroes will be honored, the program looks promising.
Even without the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde – who are forced to sit out a quarantine – the athletics fans in the stands will be able to enjoy themselves to the fullest.