Final World Ranking earns Belgium seven extra places for Tokyo World Championships

On Wednesday, World Athletics released its final update of the World Ranking, confirming the full list of athletes eligible to compete in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo from 13 to 21 September. Belgium was awarded an additional seven spots, bringing its total number of individual competitors to 26.

Nineteen Belgians had already secured their place in Tokyo by meeting the direct qualifying standard. Now, seven more compatriots have joined them by achieving the top 36 position in the qualifying rankings. The women are Rani Rosius (100 metres), Imke Vervaet (200 metres) and Ilona Masson (triple jump). The men are John Heymans (5,000 metres), Elie Bacari (110 metres hurdles), Jente Hauttekeete (decathlon) and Thomas Carmoy (high jump). Jana Van Lent, who had already qualified for the 5,000 metres, has also qualified for the 10,000 metres.

Qualified Belgians

Other qualified Belgian women include Nafi Thiam (heptathlon), Elise Vanderelst (1,500 m and 5,000 m), Paulien Couckuyt and Naomi Van den Broeck (both 400 m hurdles), Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck (100 m hurdles), Jana Van Lent (5,000 m), Merel Maes (high jump) and Elien Vekemans (pole vault).

Among the men, Daniel Segers (400 metres), Alexander Doom (400 metres), Pieter Sisk (800 metres and 1,500 metres), Eliott Crestan (800 metres), Jochem Vermeulen (1,500 metres) and Ruben Verheyden (1,500 metres) have already qualified. Isaac Kimeli (5,000 metres), Michael Obasuyi (110 metres hurdles), Tim Van de Velde (3,000 metres steeplechase), Koen Naert (marathon) and Ben Broeders (pole vault) have also qualified.

Relay teams

All five of the Belgian relay teams will compete in Tokyo: the Belgian Rockets and the Belgian Falcons in the men’s and women’s 4x100 metres, and the Belgian Cheetahs, the Belgian Tornados, and the mixed 4x400 metres team.

Heptathlete Noor Vidts and marathon runner Bashir Abdi had also qualified, but withdrew due to injury.

Held every two years, the World Athletics Championships are the premier global track and field competition organised by World Athletics (formerly the International Association of Athletics Federations, or IAAF). Alongside the Olympic Games, the championships represent the pinnacle of senior outdoor athletics. They cover disciplines such as sprints, middle- and long-distance races, jumps, throws, the marathon and race walking.

World Athletics also organises separate world championships for specific disciplines, including cross-country running, half-marathons, indoor athletics and various youth and junior categories.

^{© BELGA PHOTO DAVID PINTENS}