No, the competition in Chorzow was not the traditional European Championship, but as part of the European Games, this tournament continued as the European Championship for national teams.
For Belgium, retention in the top division was at stake. Our country had reached that level after a competition reform.
The top class was expanded from 8 to 16 countries and Belgium needed a 13th place out of 16 to stay on board the elite group.
That did not work. Partly due to mediocre performances in Poland, partly due to the absence of top players such as Nafi Thiam, Noor Vidts, Philip Milanov, Isaac Kimeli, Ismael Debjani and Tibo De Smet.
Delegation leader Rutger Smith had a thunderstorm on his face. “The relegation is entirely due to the absent athletes,” he said sharply.
“This should not have happened. We belong in the top division. We absolutely have to promote again at the next edition in 2025.”
Before the start of the tournament, Smith already argued for mandatory participation of all athletes who receive support from the federation and repeated that wish again on Sunday evening.
“That should be in their contract,” it sounds. “And even if it’s not on paper, I don’t understand why you’re not here.”
“Make an effort for your country once every two years, is that really too much to ask? Femke Bol was also here for the Netherlands, right?”
There were some serious disappointments last weekend, but Smith didn’t take it too seriously. “We don’t blame this on the athletes who are here, but entirely on the athletes who are absent,” he said plainly.
“The distance runners say that they cannot run top times here, but in these kinds of tournaments you do learn to finish a race. And our distance runners still have a lot to learn about that.”
