The 45th edition of the KBC Nacht in Heusden-Zolder was a fantastic evening of sports, filled with outstanding performances and emotional moments. Belgian European Championship contenders and fresh medalists from Rome once again proved their strength, despite challenging wind conditions. Nevertheless, the night delivered personal bests, remarkable victories, and an impressive performance by Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.
🏃♂️ Sprints & hurdles: lightning-fast races
The wind played a significant role in the sprint events, preventing some times from being officially recorded. However, there were still standout performances:
• Marine Jehaes clocked 11.31 in the 100m, showing she’s fully back after injury struggles.
• Rani Rosius finished third in 11.26 in a race with slightly less wind.
• Kobe Vleminckx nearly lost his shoe mid-race but still managed to place third in the 100m with 10.21.
• Elie Bacari stormed to a stunning 13.39 in the 110m hurdles and was awarded the Paul Eerdekens Trophy for the best Belgian performance.
👑 Camacho-Quinn lives up to expectations
The undisputed star of the evening was Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the reigning Olympic champion from Puerto Rico. She dominated the 100m hurdles with a commanding 12.56, proving she’s ready to defend her title in Paris.
🏃♀️ 400m & 800m: Belgian standouts in top form
• Naomi Van den Broeck displayed her strength in the 400m, winning in 51.68.
• Florent Mabille recorded the fastest time among the men with 46.72.
• Eliott Crestan narrowly missed the Olympic standard in the 800m with 1:45.40, while Jochem Vermeulen set a new PB at 1:46.38.
🔥 Fast times in long-distance races
The 5000m event once again delivered world-class performances. Uruguayan Santiago Catrofe broke his own record, finishing in 13:05.95. Among the Belgians, Guillaume Grimard impressed with 13:39.79.
🎯 Javelin & pole vault: Belgian confidence boost
• Timothy Herman came close to the magical 80m mark with a throw of 79.21m, but Norwegian Kasper Sagen took the win with a personal best of 80.66m.
• Elien Vekemans bounced back after a tough European Championship, finishing fourth in pole vault with 4.23m.
Once again, the KBC Nacht delivered an evening full of energy and top performances. With the Olympic Games on the horizon, many athletes proved they are ready for an exciting summer! 🌟
