Is it likely that the 42-year-old record will be smashed at the 42nd KBC Nacht? Elise Vanderelst is certainly in top form. The 23-year-old athlete from Mons already pulverised the 19-year-old Belgian 1500 metres record at the Diamond League meeting in Florence, Italy last week. With 4’02″63, she did considerably better than Veerle Dejaeghere’s 4’05″05 in 2002.
Vanderelst, who became European Champion by winning the 1500 metres event at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland in March, would like to add a second national record to her name at the KBC Nacht. She will have to beat the legendary 2’36″76 set by Anne-Marie Van Nuffel in Berlin on 17 August 1979 in the 1000 metres event.
Another rising star to look forward to at the KBC Nacht is Rani Rosius. The 21-year-old from Genk bettered her personal record in the 100 metres going down from 11″39 to 11″33 at a meeting in Dessau, Germany last month and wants to go even faster in Heusden-Zolder. Currently, Rosius is the second fastest Belgian woman of all time, after Kim Gevaert (11″04, in 2006).
Rosius’ peer, hurdler Michael Obasuyi, will want to prove that he is ready for the U23 European Championships, which will be held in Tallin one week later, in Stadium De Veen in Heusden-Zolder on 3rd July. Obasuyi is determined to go for a medal in the 110m hurdles in Estonia. At the KBC Nacht, he will be cheered on by the Belgian crowd giving him a golden opportunity to improve his form even more.
If you would like to watch Obasuyi, Rosius, Vanderelst and other top athletes live in Heusden-Zolder on 3rd July, you can buy a ticket from Thursday onwards via the KBC Nacht website. The number of spectators will be strictly limited due to the corona measures that remain in place.
