World 5000m silver medallist Isaac Kimeli is among the standout names on Belgium’s team for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, Portugal on 14 December.
Kimeli, who will be making his 12th appearance at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, has won individual medals at U20, U23 and senior level. He won the individual U23 title nine years ago in Chia 2016 and was also part of Belgium’s gold medal-winning team in the senior men’s race in Brussels 2023.
The 31-year-old has twice been on the podium individually at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships. He won silver in 2018 behind Filip Ingebrigtsen before adding bronze in 2022 to his collection. He just missed out on an individual medal last year, finishing fourth in a race won by Jakob Ingebrigtsen who is defending his title.
Kimeli will line up alongside John Heymans and Guillaume Grimard, who were also part of Belgium’s victorious team on home soil in Brussels two years ago, and 1500m specialist Ruben Verheyden.
Belgium will also have aspirations of winning a third successive team medal in the senior women’s race. Their team includes last year’s fourth-placer and European 10,000m Cup winner Jana Van Lent and Lisa Rooms who beat Van Lent for the Belgian cross country title on Sunday.
Their team is emboldened by the inclusion of European half marathon champion Chloe Herbiet although she is planning to race in the Valencia Marathon on 7 December, one week before the SPAR European Cross Country Championships.
Belgium will be fielding teams in all six individual events as well as a team in the mixed relay. The Belgians will also have high hopes in the men’s U20 race for European U20 5000m champion William Renders, a commanding winner of the U20 title at the Belgian Cross Country Championships on Sunday.