Benchpress record and wardrobe accident in clash between martial artists in The Container Cup

“I don’t like sharing”, Toma Nikiforov puffed after his seven tests in The Container Cup. Nevertheless, the two-time European judo champion in the category up to 100 kilograms now shares the record on the bench press with rower Ward Lemmelijn. Just like Lemmelijn last season, Nikiforov pushed 150 kilograms up. The 29-year-old judoka also performed well in shooting (4/5), but on the other tests he did not get further than average. That gave him a provisional seventh place in the final standings with a finishing time of 10 minutes 31 seconds.

Just enough to hold off his buddy Victor Schelstraete. The top boxer (third in the World Championship for amateurs) went mad on all devices and did considerably better than Nikiforov in the first tests. That accrued bonus seemed to be enough for the boxer, until his shoelace got stuck between the pedal of his bicycle during the final bike test. Schelstraete lost more than half a minute and was able to forget a top time. In the end he turned out to be six sour seconds slower than Nikiforov.

Men’s standings

1 Nicolas De Kerpel (hockey player) 8:54.21

2 Thibaut Vervoort (3×3 basketball player) 9:08.04

3 Mitch Morgan (ice hockey player) 9:38.21

4 Florian Vermeersch (cyclist) 9:46.50

5 Mauri Vansevenant (cyclist) 9:46.90

6 Vincent Kesteloot (basketball player) 10:24:26

7 Toma Nikiforov (judoka) 10:31.07

8 Victor Schelstraete (boxer) 10: 37.43

9 Mathijs Verhoeven (BMX rider) 10:42.27

10 Jago Geerts (motocross rider) 11:11.79

Ranking women

1 Norwegian Vidts (all-around) 11:26.05

2 Valerie Barthelemy (triathlete) 11:40.41

3 Imke Vervaet (sprintster) 12:38.59

4 Camille Laus (sprinter) 13:08.08

5 Mieke Gorissen (marathon runner) 13:13.16

6 Jutta Verkest (gym) 15:02.31

Classification BVs

Julie Vermeire 17:37.04

Tanja Dexters 19.04:50

Kamal Kharmach 19: 43.89

Dominique Van Malder 22:50.47

Next candidates

Karel Sabbe (ultraloper)

Michael Somers (runner)

(md)