**********This is hard to imagine, even fathom that this could really happen, and that she would make it through all of the hurdles clean, and just look at her photo, as she stands beside one of the other hurdlers…The size difference just blows your mind….**********
Belgium’s shot put champion saves team by running hurdles
from Alyssa Clang, with YardBarker.com/www.yardbarker.com
The European Athletics Championships, taking place this week in Silesia, Poland, nearly saw an unfortunate disqualification after Belgium’s hurdlers all got injured before they were able to compete.
Enter Jolien Boumkwo: Belgian shot put champion, team player and unlikely hurdling hero of our times.
Boumkwo, in a selfless bid to keep Belgium active in the meet, competed against some of Europe’s finest hurdlers in place of her injured teammates. Her mission? Make it across the finish line without knocking anything over or causing a false start. Doing so would keep Belgium alive at the meet and save the nation from immediate disqualification.
She performed beautifully, finishing clean just nineteen seconds behind first-placed Teresa Errandonea of Spain.
Every point *does* count at the European Team Championships!
Seventh in the shot put, Jolien Boumkwo ?? steps in for the 100m hurdles at the very last minute in #Silesia2023! ? #EG2023
(@TeamBelgium, @The_EOC) pic.twitter.com/3rhERw9y5I
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 24, 2023
Boumkwo was hailed by athletes all over Europe for her endeavors. By successfully completing the race she kept Belgium active in the meet and won legions of fans for her unshakeable team spirit.
“We sometimes do hurdles in training, so I knew how to do it,” Boumkwo said after the race, via The Guardian. “I thought it was a special experience, because much more than with the shot put I had the feeling that everyone was looking at me.”
And if that sounds scary, Boumkwo disagrees.
“I try not to take myself too seriously as an athlete. The past has taught me that that will only make you cramp.”