William Van Dijck

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William Van Dijck (born January 24, 1961 in Leuven ) is a former Belgian 3000 meter obstacle runner who won the world championship bronze in 1987.

Career

Van Dijck set his first Belgian national record in the 3,000-meter obstacle course in 1983. Also in 1983 he won the first of his nine national championship titles on this route. At the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki , Van Dijck was eliminated in the semi-finals, just like a year later at the 1984 Olympic Games .

At the European Championships in Stuttgart in 1986 , Van Dijck crossed the finish line in fifth after 8: 20.19 minutes. A week later he won the revenge at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels and set his eighth and last Belgian national record with 8: 10.01, which was still in place twenty years later. At the 1987 World Championships in Rome, the Italian Francesco Panetta ran up and away from the field at a pace close to the world record, the field splintered and the favored Kenyans stayed behind, while Hagen Melzer took silver behind Panetta and Van Dijck in 8: 12.18 Minutes won bronze. In 1988 at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Panetta tried a similar tactic, but could not break away from the Kenyans and broke in the end. Van Dijck ran bravely in 8: 13.99 minutes, was able to overtake Panetta in the end and took the fifth place.

At the European Championships in 1990 in Split, Van Dijck did not try to follow the lead, he won the sprint of the field, but again only finished fifth in 8: 21.71 minutes. This was followed by two ninth places at the 1991 World Championships and the 1992 Olympic Games . Towards the end of his career, van Dijck managed to win another medal at the European Championships in 1994 ; In a pure lane race, the Italians Alessandro Lambruschini and Angelo Carosi won gold and silver, Van Dijck crossed the finish line after 8: 24.286 minutes and received bronze. In 1997 he ended his career.

In 1986 William Van Dijck was voted Sportsman of the Year in Belgium . With a height of 1.85 m, his competition weight was 65 kg.

Belgian championships

  • 3000 meter obstacle course: 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994
  • 10,000 meter run: 1993
  • Forest run: 1996

Best times

  • 3000 meter obstacle course: 8: 10.01 minutes (1986)
  • 3000 meter run: 7: 45.40 minutes (1988)
  • 5000 meter run: 13: 23.40 minutes (1985)
  • 10,000 meter run: 28: 58.75 minutes (1993)

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Van Dijck, William
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Belgian obstacle runner
DATE OF BIRTH January 24, 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH Lions