Belgium sends 79 young athletes to the European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje

A total of 79 Belgian athletes - 40 boys and 39 girls - will compete at the 18th European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Skopje, North Macedonia, from 20 to 26 July. The Belgian delegation will compete in 12 of the 15 sports featured at this biennial event, which is open to athletes aged 14 to 18.

At the previous EYOF in Maribor, Slovenia, two years ago, Belgium sent 62 athletes and returned with four medals, including a gold medal for Nafy Thiam in the shot put. Several Belgian Olympians previously competed at the EYOF, including Justine Henin (tennis), Ann Simons (judo), Kim Gevaert, Tia Hellebaut, Olivia Borlée and Nafissatou Thiam (athletics), as well as Nina Derwael (gymnastics).

This event gives our young athletes a first taste of the Olympic environment

“This event gives our young athletes a first taste of the Olympic environment,” said team leader Sarah Verzin (pictured below). "It’s not just about performance. It’s about experiencing life as part of a multidisciplinary team, learning from others and enjoying the moment. They all earned their place through hard work and talent. We don’t want to put pressure on them by setting medal expectations. Our focus here is on development and exposure.”

Multiple disciplines

The Belgian team will compete in the following sports: athletics, badminton, basketball (U16s and 3x3), judo, mountain biking, taekwondo, table tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, cycling and swimming. Highlights include a full U18 volleyball squad, a strong athletics team competing in a range of track and field events, and boys and girls competing in taekwondo and gymnastics.

The delegation includes swimmer Elina Van De Cloot, who will be competing in the butterfly, freestyle and medley events, as well as cyclist Mathis Vandenheed, who will be taking part in both the road race and the time trial. The full delegation showcases the depth of Belgian youth sports and the country's dedication to cultivating future international competitors.

^{Team Belgium 2025 © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE}