International sports

Belgian shot putter goes viral running hurdles to save team from disqualification

Belgian shot putter Jolien Boumkwo stepped out of her comfort zone, and onto the track, in order to save her team from disqualification.

The 29-year-old ran the 100-metre hurdles at the European Athletics Team Championships on Saturday in Poland, after her teammates pulled-out due to injury.

“I will just take one for the team,” Boumkwo told CTV News in video interview.

At the starting line, Boumkwo towered above her competitors. The powerful athlete is a Belgian champion in hammer throw and shot put.

“(100-metre hurdles) was never my favorite event,” Boumkwo said. “Because it was a bit scary for me.”

Despite past experiences, Boumkwo smiled at the starting line, dancing and waving to the crowd, her coach and teammates.

“They gave me extra confidence to just do it,” Boumkwo said.

With a bounce in her step, she gingerly cleared each barrier in an attempt to avoid injury.

“My plan was to walk over the hurdles but with all the adrenaline and stuff, I just run a bit more,” Boumkwo said.

Her finishing time was 32.81, a full 19 seconds behind Spanish sprinter Teresa Errandonea who won with 13.22.

As hundreds of thousands viewed video of the smiling shot putter on social media, comments praising the athlete’s selflessness and team spirit started pouring in.

By finishing the race, Boumkwo secured two points for Belgium.

Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to prevent the country from being relegated to a lower division.

Boumkwo insists the team dealt with some bad luck, and won’t be there for long.

“Next time we’ll be in the first division,” she said.

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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