Willy Polleunis

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Willy Polleunis athletics

Willy Polleunis
Willy Polleunis (1973)

Full name Willy Polleunis
nation Belgium
birthday December 27, 1947
place of birth Hasselt (Belgium) , Belgium
size 168 cm
Weight 54 kg
job retired
Career
discipline Long distance running
society FC Liege
Daring Lions
Trainer Luc Mommaerts
status resigned

Willy Polleunis (born December 27, 1947 in Hasselt ) is a former Belgian athlete who was Olympic sixth in the 5,000-meter run in 1976 .

Polleunis was already an Olympic participant in 1968 , but had given up in the 10,000 meter run . In 1971 he won the Belgian championship title in cross-country running and in the 10,000-meter run. He was to win more championship titles in his career: 1973 and 1978 in cross-country, 1976 and 1979 over 5000 meters. In his second Olympic start in 1972 , he finished 14th in the final after running almost fifty seconds slower than in the prelim. Only a few days after the Olympic Games, he accompanied Gaston Roelants in his attempt to set a world record in the hour run; In this race Polleunis improved the world record in the 10-mile run to 46: 04.2 min. In early 1973 he finished fifth after winning the championship at the first cross-country world championships . Together with Gaston Roelants, Erik De Beck , Erik Gyselinck , Karel Lismont and Marc Smet , he won the team title. At the European Indoor Championships in 1973 in Rotterdam, he won the silver medal behind his Löwener club colleague Emiel Puttemans . At the European Championships in Rome in 1974 , Polleunis won his preliminary run safely, in the final he fell far behind and finally crossed the finish line 15th and last.

In 1976 Polleunis returned to the Cross Country World Championships and finished 27th in the individual ranking, with the team he won the silver medal. At the 1976 Olympic Games , after the disappointments of 1972 and 1974, he achieved a performance in a grand finale that lived up to his capabilities: In 13: 26.99 min he finished sixth over 5000 meters, the first seven runners were only three Seconds apart. At the World Cross Country Championships in 1977 Polleunis took 22nd place. Together with Leon Schots , Erik De Beck, Karel Lismont, Frank Grillaert and Eddy Van Mullem , he and the team won the gold medal a second time after 1973. 1979 Polleunis was again fifth with the Belgian team.

With a height of 1.68 m, his competition weight was 54 kg.

Best times

  • 5000 meters: 13: 23.2 min (1979)
  • 10,000 meters: 28: 07.6 min (1973)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Polleunis, Willy
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Belgian athlete
DATE OF BIRTH December 27, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Hasselt (Belgium)