Belgian Middle Distance Championship
2026

The story

This year’s Belgian Championships came at a tricky point in the calendar for athletes racing internationally: the race at the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure took place just six days after the World Championships in Nice. As defending champion, I was among the favourites, but one big question remained. Nice had shown that I was in good form — but how would my legs respond so soon after a middle-distance race?

The swim was a battle from the outset. Strong winds, large waves and fogged-up goggles made it less about finding a rhythm and more about staying with the group and getting through it. There was little respite on the bike, either. Tom Vaelen, the 2024 Belgian champion and a powerful cyclist, pushed the pace from the start. I had to dig deep just to stay with him, hitting my highest heart rate of the year in the opening five kilometres. One thing was clear: I didn’t have my usual bike legs.

Thankfully, I began to find my rhythm after the first lap. Tom and I managed to pull away from the chasing pack, and with my strongest discipline still to come, I started to believe that defending my title was within reach.

On the run, everything finally came together. I posted the fastest run split of the day to take the win and claim another Belgian title. After such a tough start, being crowned Belgian champion again felt all the sweeter!