Elien Vekemans

Last updated
Elien Vekemans
Elien Vekemans - WK 2023 in Boedapest.jpg
Elien Vekemans at the 2023 World Championships.
Personal information
Born (2001-04-30) 30 April 2001 (age 24)
Sport
Sport Athletics
Event Pole vault
Achievements and titles
Personal bestPole vault: 4.73m (2025)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
European U23 Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Espoo Pole Vault
European U20 Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2019 Borås Pole Vault
Summer World University Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2025 Bochum Pole vault

Elien Vekemans (born 30 April 2001) is a Belgian pole vaulter. In 2024, she became the national record holder in the event. [1]

Contents

Career

In 2018, she set a junior Belgian record of 4.25 metres competing in Oordegem. She won the bronze medal at the 2019 European Athletics U20 Championships in Borås. Later that month she set a new junior Belgian record of 4.26 metres whilst competing in Amiens. [2]

In June 2023, she finished fourth competing for Belgium at the 2023 European Athletics Team Championships First Division in Silesia with a height of 4.50 metres. [3] She won the silver medal at the 2023 European Athletics U23 Championships in Espoo, Finland behind Frenchwoman Marie-Julie Bonnin. [4] [5] She competed at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, placing 29th in qualifying with a 4.35 metres clearance but not reaching the final. [6]

In July 2024, Vekemans broke the Belgian outdoor record with a 4.52 metres clearance at the Flanders Cup in Leuven, but was still 1cm short of the overall Belgian record of Fanny Smets 4.53 metres clearance from 2021. [7] In Krk, Croatia on 30 August 2024 she set a new national record height of 4.54 metres. [8]

In Rouen on 25 January 2025, she increased her national record with a 4.56 metres clearance. [9] She competed at the 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, and progressed to the final finishing in the top-eight. [10] In June 2025, she twice bettered the national record, clearing 4.61 metres at the Paavo Nurmi Games leg of the 2025 World Athletics Continental Tour in Turku, Finland [11] and then 4.65 metres at the 2025 2nd Division European Athletics Team Championships in Maribor, Slovenia. [12] She cleared 4.60 metres to win gold at the 2025 Summer World University Games in Germany. [13]

She was selected for the Belgian team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. [14]

Personal life

Her brother Daan Vekemans is a professional footballer. Their parents emigrated to Austria in 2021 to open a hotel. She studied in the United States at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Arkansas. [15] She later returned to study bioengineering at KU Leuven the city of Leuven located in the province of Flemish Brabant, Flemish Region, Belgium after a period of ill health. [16]

References

  1. "Elien Vekemans". World Athletics. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  2. "NEW BR POLE VAULT FOR ELIEN VEKEMANS". Atletiek.be. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  3. "European Athletics Team Championships First Division". World Athletics. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  4. "Sasha Zhoya, Marie-Julie Bonnin and Simon Gore titled at the European U23 Championships". lequipe.fr. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  5. "French gold rush on the penultimate evening in Espoo 2023". Euroepan Athletics. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  6. "World Athletics Championships - Elien Vekemans eliminated in pole vault". dhnet.be. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  7. "FLANDERS CUP KESSEL-LO: ELIEN VEKEMANS WITH A SUPER JUMP OF 4M52". Atletiek.be. 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  8. Reyntjens, Michiel (30 August 2024). "Elien Vekemans nu onbetwist Belgisch recordhoudster, Charlotte Penneman loopt 3e juniorenchrono ooit over 5.000m". atni.be.
  9. "Karalis opens his season with a 5.85m clearance for victory in Rouen". European Athletics. 25 January 2025. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  10. "Women's Pole Vault Results - European Athletics Indoor Championships 2025". Watch Athletics. 8 March 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  11. "Paavo Nurmi Games: Flash Quotes". www.yleisurheilu.fi. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  12. "Belgium, Norway and Slovenia sit in promotion places after 2nd Division Day 1 in Maribor". European Athletics. 28 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  13. "Elien Vekemans wins gold in pole vault at Summer World University Games". Brussels Times. 25 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  14. "Belgian Athletics maakt volledige selectie WK Tokio bekend: Anne Zagré mee met Rockets". atni.be. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  15. "Too weak poles keep Elien Vekemans from 4.60m, proud brother Daan thinks that sister has made progress". Nieuwsblad.be. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  16. "ELIEN VEKEMANS FOCUSES ON HERSELF AND NOT ON MEDALS AT EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR YOUNG ATHLETES". Atletiek.be. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2025.