At the end of a historic year of achievement for Belgian running, Jana Van Lent, who led the women’s team to a first-ever gold at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, said: “We look differently at championships now.” It captures the rising confidence at the end of year of success.
Van Lent finished fourth in Lagoa, but the close support of Lisa Rooms (fifth) and Chloé Herbiet (seventh) ensured Belgium claimed the women’s team title for the first time in history at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, improving on bronze medals from Brussels 2023 and Antalya 2024.
The men’s U20 race victory by Willem Renders, accompanied by the men’s U20 team title – another Belgian first – ensured it was the most successful SPAR European Cross Country Championships ever for the nation.
It rounded off an incredible year of running firsts for Belgium, including:
- The first-ever Belgian 5000m medal at a World Athletics Championships. Isaac Kimeli’s silver was also only the third distance-running world medal in Belgian history, after Bashir Abdi’s marathon bronze in 2022 and William Van Dijck’s 3000m steeplechase bronze in 1987.
- At the inaugural European Running Championships on home territory in Brussels–Leuven, Herbiet becoming the first Belgian woman to win a European title in any distance event, claiming half-marathon gold. She was followed closely by teammate Juliette Thomas, whose silver helped spearhead team gold.
- Van Lent becoming the first Belgian athlete to win the European 10,000m Cup in Pacé, France, with Herbiet taking bronze and Belgium securing the women’s team title – another historic first.
- First-ever senior women’s team and men’s U20 team victories at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships.
- Multiple national records set by Ruben Verheyden (men’s 1500m – 3:30.99; men’s mile – 3:50.67), Isaac Kimeli (men’s 10km road – 27:10), Van Lent (women’s 5000m – 14:37.47), and Chloé Herbiet (women’s 10km – 31:12; women’s marathon – 2:20:38).
Alongside the above, Kimeli enjoyed further success, winning bronze in the men’s 10km at the European Running Championships and claiming victory over 5000m at the Lausanne Diamond League.
Belgium's men took team silver at the European 10,000m Cup and at the European Running Championships, there were also team medals for Belgium's men's 10km (bronze), men's marathon (silver) and women's marathon (bronze)
Eliot Crestan also won silver in the men's 800m at the Apeldoorn 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships.
And at the Tampere 2025 European Athletics U20 Championships, Renders won the men’s 5000m, while his training partner Elliot Vermeulen claimed bronze in the 1500m.
"We look differently at championships now"
In the immediate aftermath of success in Lagoa, Van Lent was satisfied with her individual fourth-place finish and thrilled by the team achievement.
“I knew that Nadia Battocletti (ITA) and Megan Keith (GBR) would be very, very strong here. I also thought Yasmine Can (TUR) – last year she was also ahead of me. So I’m still very happy with my fourth place behind such strong athletes.
“It was so nice to see that Lisa (Rooms) was right behind me, and then Chloé (Herbiet) in seventh place, and Victoria (Warpy) also, 32nd I think.
“So Belgian distance running is really rising, and I’m so proud. It’s the first time in history that we get a gold medal as a team.”
Considering the broader success of Belgian running in 2025, she suggested a shift in mindset was starting to reap rewards.
“I think we look differently at championships now. We don’t just want to go for experience – we really want to score. We push each other to a higher level. It’s inspirational for each other,” she said.
Hair and hard work
Renders is at the forefront of a new generation of Belgian runners succeeding on the international stage. His success in Lagoa capped a brilliant year that also saw him become European U20 champion in cross country and on the track.
“It’s nice to see someone from your home country doing really well. I think you get motivation from their performances to do your own best performance,” he said after his latest victory.
A bioengineering student at the University of Ghent, Renders came into the sport through cross country, where his talent was discovered at school and developed at his local club, AV Jabbeke.
He also senses the growing national momentum. “Not only is the older generation doing well, but the next generation is also performing really strongly. I think it’s a sign that cross country and long-distance running in Belgium are really good at the moment,” he said.
As for the reasons behind the success, Renders offers both unconventional and more traditional theories.
Renders and training partner Vermeulen both sport long, curly hairstyles and, glancing at his teammate, he joked: “I think we’re just fast because we have a lot of hair. It’s the hair that keeps you in shape.”
Turning serious, he suggested a simpler winning formula: “We have a lot of talent and the right people coaching us. Then you get great results.”
The talented 18-year-old is set to be Belgium’s sole representative at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, launching what could be another landmark year for Belgian distance running.