For the first time in the history of gymnastics, a Belgian gymnast has succeeded in taking a podium position at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Nina Derwael made gymnastic history when winning a bronze medal at the World Championships in Montreal.
This 17-year-old girl from Sint-Truiden in Limburg, who has been boarding at a top sports school in Ghent since the age of 11, bettered her score for the fourth time this year on the uneven bars and in doing so achieved a new personal record. She already reached 4th place in the qualifying round, but ended up 3rd in the final. This April, Nina Derwael was successful in winning a gold medal at the European Championships in Romania.
Rune Hermans, another Belgian gymnast, also took part in the World Championships in Montreal. Both she and Derwael ended in the top 12 in the all-around final: Derwael in 8th and Hermans in 11th position. A magnificent performance, and certainly since Rune Hermans was forced to take time out over the last six months due to a back injury. This, in fact, was also a first for Belgium, as never before have two Belgian gymnasts participated in the all-around final. The next important focus is the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.
