Belgian Falcons advance to 4x100m final with Belgian record

With a new Belgian record, the Belgian men's team qualified for the final of the 4x100 metres at the European Championships in Munich, Germany, on Friday.

At the Olympiastadion, Robin Vanderbemden, Ward Merckx, Simon Verherstraeten and Kobe Vleminckx ran a time of 38.73, good for fourth place in the second series and a final ticket with the best losing time. The first three of the two series and the two fastest losing times advance to Sunday's final (21:12).

Vanderbemden, Merckx, Verherstraeten and Vleminckx ran 32 hundredths of a second faster than the previous Belgian record (39.05), run in August 2003 by Nathan Bongelo Bongelemba, Anthony Ferro, Kristof Beyens and Xavier De Baerdemaker.

The Belgian Falcons recorded the fifth fastest time of the 16 participating countries. Germany was fastest with a new national record of 37.97.

© BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE -Belgian falcons pictured after the men 4x100m relay heat on the ninth day of the Athletics European Championships, at Munich 2022, Germany, on Friday 19 August 2022. The second edition of the European Championships takes place from 11 to 22 August and features nine sports.