2024
Record breaking edition
Roje Stona (JAM), who became the Olympic Discus Throw Champion a few weeks later only finished in second place at the Meeting voor Mon, behind Steven Richter from Germany (64,29m). Olympic Silver Medalist Maddison-Lee Wesche (NZL) comfortably won the Shot Put (18,89m).
The Men’s 800m was the most anticipated race of the day, with no less than 5 Olympians on the track. In a tactical race Peter Bol (AUS) showed strong finishing speed to secure his win in 1’45”91. In the B-heat Samuel Pihlström (SWE) almost won on aggregate after impressive showdown (1’45”97). Same scenario in the 1500m where Paul Anselmini (FRA) stormed to win the B-heat in a 3’35”46 PB. Winner of the A-heat Sam Prakel (3’36”18) was happy to win a fierce battle against Sam Tanner (NZL) and Adam Fogg (GBR).
Cooper Teare (USA) needed strong finishing speed to hold off Romain Mornet (FRA) in a breathtaking 3000m race. Teare was rewarded with a new Meeting Record of 7’36”29, just 15 hundredths ahead of Mornet.
Local athlete from the organising club Elien Vekemans set a new National Record in the Pole Vault with 4,52m. Olympic 3000m Steeplechase 7th placer Lizzie Bird won the 1500m in a PB of 4’06”56 and Elena Kelety from Germany was a surprise winner in the 400m Hurdles with a massive PB of 55”05. Katie Snowden (GBR) was the best in the 800m with 2’00”78.
No less than 9 Meeting Records were broken. A record number of around 1000 athletes competed in the meeting, 700 of them foreign competitors. The Record Meeting Score of 81412 points placed the Meeting voor Mon in position 77 of worldwide athletics meetings in 2024.
Results2023
4 Meeting Records shattered in cracking 2023 Meeting voor Mon
Unfortunately the weather conditions were chilly and the meeting was disturbed by some rain showers. Nevertheless 4 Meeting Records were broken. Cathelijn Peeters (NED) won the 400m in a PB of 51”73 which secured her a spot in the Dutch 4 x 400m quartet that became World Champions later that month in Budapest. Nicola Pöschlova (CZE) was a surprise winner of the Women’s Pole Vault that took place in an urban setting outside the stadium, in front of hundredths of spectators. She cruised over 4,42m (PB).
Zita Goossens (BEL) broke the High Jump Meeting Record when she crossed the bar at 1,83m. The 4th and last Meeting Record was set by Cole Hocker (USA) who won the 3000m in prestigious 7’42”93. Hocker finished in 7th place in the 1500m World Championships in Budapest and became the World Indoor Silver Medallist on the same distance in 2024.
Three times World and Olympic 800m finalist Natoya Goule launched an attack at the 1500m Meeting Record. Ideally paced by Mariska Damink (NED) the Jamaican dramatically slowed down in the final lap to win in decent 4’12”64, 5 seconds shy of the Meeting Record. Heptathlete Sophie Weissenberg (GER) showed up to adjust her marks in the 100m Hurdles and in the Long Jump, ahead of the WC where she finished in 7th place.
In the Women’s 300m Helena Ponette (BEL) shattered her PB to win in 36”71, only 24 hundredths of a second outside the National Record that was set by Cynthia Bolingo in 2022 at the Meeting voor Mon. The Men’s 300m was a breathtaking duel between James Malik-King and Christian Iguacel. The Jamaican won in 33”02 ahead of the Belgian in 33”07 (PB).
The local club could cheer the victories of Ben Broeders in the Men’s Pole Vault (5,70m) and from Hanne Claes in the 400m Hurdles (56”82). Both are National record holders in their event and took 7th and 5th (4x400m) places at the World Championships. Local club member Elien Vekemans came in second in the Pole Vault (4,32m) and joined her club mates at the WC.
More Belgian wins came from Philip Milanov in the Discus Throw and from Jolien Boumkwo, who won both the Hammer Throw and the Shot Put.
Results2022
The Meeting voor Mon 2022 was of an exceptional standard. The Meeting score of 77250 points (World Athletics Scoring Tables) was the highest since 2015 and places the Meeting voor Mon at place 128 of all athletics meets worldwide (more than 1,000 ranked events). From a Belgian point of view, Cynthia Bolingo’s (CABW) National Record and Meeting record over 300m (36″47) was a highlight, as was Robin Hendrix’s (OEH) win in the 3000m (7’48″72).
Further Meeting records fell in the 200m women (Georgina Adam GBR 22″92), in the 100m hurdles women (Maayke Tjin A-Lim NED 13″05) and in the 400m hurdles men (Seamus Derbyshire GBR 49″64).
DCLA athlete Hanne Claes set the stadium ablaze with a win and Meeting record in the 400m hurdles in the women (55″23), a nice tribute to DCLA hurdles coach Theo Van Moer who passed away earlier this year and whose name was attached to this race. There were further DCLA wins for Bo Brasseur in the long jump (6.18m), for Karsten Claes in the javelin throw (57.07m) and for Edwin Nys in the discus throw (51.18m).
At Hall 5, the traditional pole vault gala took place, which has grown into a prestigious Urban Event of the Meeting voor Mon. Lots of world top athletes competed in Blauwput, where Menno Vloon (NED) won the event with also Meeting record of no less than 5.82m.
Results2021
The meeting took place when the Olympic Games were not yet finished completely. Nevertheless Chad Wright (JAM), 9th at the Olympic Games, was present to win the Discus throwing competition. The main event of the day was the duel between Loic Lemaitre (FRA), bronze medal in Rio Olympic Games and Onyewa Adigida (NL), European Junior Champion.
The women competition noted a new Flanders Cup record on the 300m, with Evelien Saalberg (NL) finishing in 37’09. Vannessa Scaunet won the 1500m and Rani Baillevier was the best in the 800m event.
A video-impression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dmo3C3J6w8
Results -
Individual results had to also conquer heavy and changing weather conditions (rare in this season)2019
The 2019 edition of the ‘Meeting voor Mon’ was held on the 17th of August long before the WCh in Doha. Unfortunally the weather conditions were rather bad with front wind for the sprint and rain, which became stronger during the meet.
The Jamaican Christofer Taylor ran an excellent 45.62 on 400m. This athlete was beaten by Jonathan Sacoor at the finale of the EC juniors. It was a pity, but there came no ‘rerun’, as the athlete of OEH choosed the200m. There was also a strong 13.80 of Finnish Elmo Lakka in the 110m hurdles and the 7.54.90 from the Italian Pietro Riva on 3.000m. In the field events Philip Milanov throwed the discus 64,14m far, beating the Jamaican Chad Wright (63,79m). His compatriot Ashinia Miller won the shot put with 18,65m. Despite the rain, Ben Broeders cleared 5,45m in the pole vault.
The Canadian women were dominant in the 400m hurdles with Kelsey Balkwill (56.92) and Noelle Montcalm (57.16). Nora Ritzen from the Netherlands finished 3rd in 57.20. Nadia Power from Ireland showed her strength in the 800m with 2.02.39.
Results
