Belgium returns with 16 medals from World Games in China
The Belgian athletes are returning with sixteen medals from the World Games, for non-Olympic sports, which ended on Sunday. That is a slightly worse result than the twenty medals won during the previous edition in Birmingham, USA, but delegation leader Gert Van Looy is still very satisfied.
On Sunday, the final day of the World Games, Belgium won two more bronze medals. Duathletes Jeanne Dupont and Arnaud Dely first came third in the mixed relay, and the beach korfball players – known as the Belgian Scorpions – then followed their example. This brought the total number of medals for the Belgian team to sixteen: five gold, five silver and six bronze medals.
Belgium was thus slightly less successful in Chengdu, China, than in Birmingham, USA, in 2022, but delegation leader Gert Van Looy was nevertheless satisfied. “Sixteen medals is a very good result, we are very happy with that,” he said. “We saw that our athletes gave their all.”
The Belgian athletes proved to be very versatile at these World Games. “We are traditionally strong in some sports, such as korfball, acrobatic gymnastics, duathlon and jiu-jitsu. But there is also Belgian talent in other disciplines,” Van Looy stated. “There are also sports where we still have room for improvement, but that is only natural.”
One Belgian athlete stood out from the crowd. Speed skater Fran Vanhoutte won four medals, following in the footsteps of Bart Swings and Sandrine Tas. “We have built up a tradition in skating, that is clear,” said Van Looy. "The competition is fierce, especially from South America, but we are showing good continuity. What's more, there is a flow to speed skating on ice at the Winter Olympics, which makes it even more attractive. It's clear that the succession is assured."
The Belgian beach korfball team, the Belgian Scorpions, celebrates after winning the bronze medal at the 2025 World Games in China © BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR