Belgian shot putter Jolien Boumkwo had to become a specialist in the 100m hurdles and completed the distance in more than 30 seconds during the European Athletics Team Championship on Saturday in Chorzow (Poland).
Boumkwo, obviously unaccustomed to taking part in this event and in difficulty when crossing hurdles, unsurprisingly finished with her time of 32 sec 81/100th in last place in her series won by the Spaniard Teresa Errandonea in 13 sec 22 /100th.
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.
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.
After 25 of the 37 events on the Euro-2023 team program and before the last day on Sunday, Belgium is 16th and last and therefore threatened with relegation to the 2nd European division. She totals 159 points, including two brought by Jolien Boumkwo despite her last place.
