The galley, but with a smile. Belgian shot putter Jolien Boumkwo had to become a specialist in the 100m hurdles on Saturday at the European Athletics Team Championship in Chorzow (Poland). She had to replace at short notice her compatriot Anne Zagré, a specialist in the discipline. No other hurdler among the Belgian team was available and in the event of a withdrawal from this event, Belgium would have been disqualified.
Obviously unaccustomed to taking part in this event and in difficulty when crossing hurdles, Jolien Boumkwo finished with a time of 32”81, far behind the Spaniard Teresa Errandonea in 13”22.
“The team is the most important for me, explained the 29-year-old athlete, amused during the race by the difference in size with his opponents. I could not bear that we lost by one point, she added. That’s why I agreed to participate in the 100m hurdles. I didn’t take risks if I went calmly. »
The day before, Boumkwo, who collects the titles of Belgian champion in the hammer and shot put, had finished 7th in the weight competition of this Euro by teams, disputed within the framework of the European Games.