AthleticsTwo of the five Belgians entered on the first day of the European Indoor Championships managed to qualify for the rest of the events: Ismaël Debjani will compete in the 1500 meter final, Eliott Crestan will be on view in the 800 semi-finals. The Euro, however, is already over for Aurèle Vandeputte, Tibo De Smet and Jolien Boumkwo.
Eliott Crestan will be the only Belgian in the 800m semi-finals of the Indoor Athletics Euros in Istanbul. Tibo De Smet and Aurèle Vandeputte were indeed eliminated in the playoffs. The first Belgian to enter the Ataköy Arena track, Crestan won the third heat in 1:47.76. His personal best is set at 1:46.11. Crestan set the sixth time of all entries.
Aurèle Vandeputte finished fifth, in 1:49.48, in the fourth heat, won by the Bosnian Amel Tuka, author of the best time of all the heats (1:47.22). Vandeputte, who has a personal best in 1:46.49, signs the 18th time of the 27 participants. The main disappointment of the day came from the Belgian record holder in the discipline, Tibo De Smet who only took third place this season and who is therefore already leaving Istanbul.
Boukwo eliminated by weight, Debjani in the 1500 final
Elimination also for Jolien Boumkwo who, with a throw of 16m18 (more than a meter and a half below her personal best) failed to qualify for the final of the women’s weight contest. A disappointment for the 29-year-old pitcher who had broken her personal best three times since the start of the year.
On the other hand, it goes for Ismaël Debjani, who took third place in his series over 1500 meters with a time of 3’44.00. He will therefore play the final on Friday evening.