Belgium's Eline Berings powers to gold in the 60m hurdles at the 2009 European indoors (© Getty Images)
Gent, BelgiumEuropean 60m Hurdles champion Eline Berings was upset in her favourite event by Sandra Gomis of France at the national championships of Belgium in Gent over the weekend.
In the 60m dash Berings was beaten by her compatriot Elisabeth Davin. Adrien Deghelt and Damien Broothaerts qualified for the World Indoor Championships in Doha and national records were set by Svetlana Bolshakova in the Triple Jump and by Fanny Smets in the Pole Vault.
Berings upset but still on schedule for Doha
Berings wasn’t as explosive out of the blocks as she usually is which Gomis to hang in and to move past the Belgian in the final stages of the race. The Frenchwoman set a massive personal best of 8.00 to beat Berings into second with 8.10. In the heats of the 60m dash Berings brought her PB down to 7.37, but in the final she was again surprised at the start and it was fellow hurdler Elisabeth Davin who took the title in 7.33.
“To be beaten twice today doesn’t disturb me that much”, said Berings. “Competition is always tough on this level and this also keeps the pressure away from me. I’m on schedule for Doha and my focus remains with the World Indoors.”
Deghelt and Broothaerts qualify for Doha
In the Men’s Hurdles training companions Adrien Deghelt and Damien Broothaerts fought a furious battle in which both deserved a lifetime best performance : 7.68 for Dgehelt and 7.70 for Broothaerts, still well off the national record (7.55) of their coach Jonathan N’Senga.
Svetlana Bolshakova is gradually recovering from a muscle strain in the upper leg. She improved her national record in the Triple Jump to 13.84m. Pole Vaulter Fanny Smets moved the national record in the event up to 4.11m.
Of the Men’s 4 x 400m team that finished fourth at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009, no individual member participated today, as didn’t Pole Vaulter Kevin Rans. Along with Eline Berings, they are the strongest Belgian bids for the World Indoor Championships in Doha.
Ivo Hendrix for the IAAF
Select results:
Men -
60m - Damien Broothaerts 6.80
200m - Kristof Beyens 21.75
3000m - Dieter Vanstreels 8:10.62
60H - Adrien Deghelt 7.68
HJ - James Grayman (ANT) 2.24m
TJ - Michael Velter 16.20m
LJ - Kafétien Gomis (FRA) 7.58m
SP - Wim Blondeel 18.08m
Women -
60m - Elisabeth Davin 7.33
200m - Justine Desondre 24.00
60H - Sandra Gomis (FRA) 8.00
HJ - Hannelore Desmet 1.86m
TJ - Svetlana Bolshakova 13.84m
PV - Fanny Smets 4.11m
Belgian team for Doha (unofficial):
Men -
60H - Adrien Deghelt, Damien Broothaerts
PV - Kevin Rans
4 x 400m - Team Belgium, including Jonathan Borlée, Kévin Borlée, Cédric Van Branteghem
Women -
60m - Fatmata Bangura
60H - Eline Berings, Elisabeth Davin
In the 60m dash Berings was beaten by her compatriot Elisabeth Davin. Adrien Deghelt and Damien Broothaerts qualified for the World Indoor Championships in Doha and national records were set by Svetlana Bolshakova in the Triple Jump and by Fanny Smets in the Pole Vault.
Berings upset but still on schedule for Doha
Berings wasn’t as explosive out of the blocks as she usually is which Gomis to hang in and to move past the Belgian in the final stages of the race. The Frenchwoman set a massive personal best of 8.00 to beat Berings into second with 8.10. In the heats of the 60m dash Berings brought her PB down to 7.37, but in the final she was again surprised at the start and it was fellow hurdler Elisabeth Davin who took the title in 7.33.
“To be beaten twice today doesn’t disturb me that much”, said Berings. “Competition is always tough on this level and this also keeps the pressure away from me. I’m on schedule for Doha and my focus remains with the World Indoors.”
Deghelt and Broothaerts qualify for Doha
In the Men’s Hurdles training companions Adrien Deghelt and Damien Broothaerts fought a furious battle in which both deserved a lifetime best performance : 7.68 for Dgehelt and 7.70 for Broothaerts, still well off the national record (7.55) of their coach Jonathan N’Senga.
Svetlana Bolshakova is gradually recovering from a muscle strain in the upper leg. She improved her national record in the Triple Jump to 13.84m. Pole Vaulter Fanny Smets moved the national record in the event up to 4.11m.
Of the Men’s 4 x 400m team that finished fourth at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009, no individual member participated today, as didn’t Pole Vaulter Kevin Rans. Along with Eline Berings, they are the strongest Belgian bids for the World Indoor Championships in Doha.
Ivo Hendrix for the IAAF
Select results:
Men -
60m - Damien Broothaerts 6.80
200m - Kristof Beyens 21.75
3000m - Dieter Vanstreels 8:10.62
60H - Adrien Deghelt 7.68
HJ - James Grayman (ANT) 2.24m
TJ - Michael Velter 16.20m
LJ - Kafétien Gomis (FRA) 7.58m
SP - Wim Blondeel 18.08m
Women -
60m - Elisabeth Davin 7.33
200m - Justine Desondre 24.00
60H - Sandra Gomis (FRA) 8.00
HJ - Hannelore Desmet 1.86m
TJ - Svetlana Bolshakova 13.84m
PV - Fanny Smets 4.11m
Belgian team for Doha (unofficial):
Men -
60H - Adrien Deghelt, Damien Broothaerts
PV - Kevin Rans
4 x 400m - Team Belgium, including Jonathan Borlée, Kévin Borlée, Cédric Van Branteghem
Women -
60m - Fatmata Bangura
60H - Eline Berings, Elisabeth Davin
