Belgian_4_x_400_metres_relay_team

Belgian men's 4 × 400 metres relay team

Belgian men's 4 × 400 metres relay team

National athletics relay team

The Belgian men's 4 × 400 metres relay team, nicknamed the Belgian Tornados from July 2014 onwards,[1] is the relay team of the Belgian national athletics team that has given the highest number of medals in the international competitions, mainly thanks to the support of the Borlée family.[2]

Quick Facts Olympic Games, Appearances ...
From left Jonathan Sacoor, Dylan Borlée and the twins Kevin and Jonathan Borlée

History

The Belgian men's 4 × 400 meters relay team has won 15 medals[3] at the international athletics competitions, five World Championships and eight (five gold) at the European Championships. Of these medals seven were won in outdoor competitions (three gold) and six in indoor competitions (two gold).

At the Olympic Games the team's best result was 4th place twice.

Borlée family

Main article: Borlée family
Jacques Borlée.

The progenitor of the Borlee family is Jacques (born 1957), bronze medalist at the 1983 European Indoor Championships in Budapest on 200 m, while his first wife Edith Demaertelaere [nl] (born 1964) was a good sprinter with a personal best of 23.89. Six of his seven children are athletes (the first five born from the first marriage with Edith, the last two born from a second marriage, but now only Rayane (born 1999) is an athlete).[4]

The eldest daughter Olivia (born 1986) won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the world bronze at the 2007 Osaka World Championships with the 4 × 100 m relay and the other daughter Alizia (born 1991) was also a decent sprinter. The four sons are all 400 m specialists, the twins Jonathan and Kevin (born 1988), both Olympic finalists in London 2012, Dylan (born 1992) and the youngest Rayane. In addition, Jacques' older brother Jean-Pierre [nl] (born 1947) was also a sprinter.[5]

In 2015 the Belgian men's 4 × 400 meters relay team won the Belgian National Sports Merit Award (Trophée national du Mérite sportif) award assigned to the components Dylan Borlée, Jonathan Borlée, Kevin Borlée, Antoine Gillet et Julien Watrin.[6]

Results

Olympic Games

The European champions of Helsinki 2012, from left: Jente Bouckaert, Antoine Gillet, Kevin and Jonathan Borlée.
The team, bronze medal at Oregon 22 World Championships.
More information Year, Competition ...

Others competitions

Outdoor
More information Year, Competition ...
Indoor
More information Year, Competition ...

See also

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    In heats run a better crono (3:01.70)

References

  1. [1]
    "Belgische 4x400m-aflossingsploeg heet vanaf nu Belgian Tornados" (in Dutch). nieuwsblad.be. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  2. [2]
    "The Borlee family: From Moscow 1980 to Tokyo 2020". olympics.com. 29 April 2021. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  3. [3]
    "Tornados glunderen met brons: "We liepen de perfecte race"" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  4. [4]
    "Mais qui est Rayane, le quatrième frère Borlée ?" (in French). rtbf.be. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2021. Rayane, leur petit frère de 19 ans. Il n'a pas la même mère que les trois ainés.
  5. [5]
    "FRATELLI BORLEE L'ATLETICA IN FAMIGLIA" (in Italian). runtoday.it. 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  6. [6]
    "LE 4X400M MASCULIN REÇOIT LE TROPHÉE NATIONAL DU MÉRITE SPORTIF" (in French). lbfa.be. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  7. [7]
    "Belgium in Athletics at the Summer Olynpics". olympedia.org. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
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