Laura Waem

Last updated
Laura Waem
Born (1997-08-05) 5 August 1997 (age 27)
Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Height160 cm (5 ft 3 in) [1]
Gymnastics career
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
Country representedFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
ClubTopsportcentrum Ghent
Head coach(es)Yves Kieffer
Assistant coach(es)Majorie Huels
Retired2017

Laura Waem (born 5 August 1997) is a Belgian former artistic gymnast. She represented Belgium at the 2016 Summer Olympics and is a two-time World Championships all-around finalist.

Contents

Gymnastics career

2012

Waem joined Belgium's junior national team in 2012. [2] She competed at the International Gymnix in Montreal and placed 17th in the all-around. Then in the event finals, she finished fifth on the balance beam and eighth on the floor exercise. [3] She then competed at the Junior European Championships, helping the Belgian team place 12th. [4]

2013

Waem became age-eligible for senior international competitions in 2013. [5] She made her senior international debut at the International Gymnix, finishing 12th in the all-around. [2] There, she also finished sixth on the uneven bars and fourth on the balance beam. [6] She qualified for the uneven bars final at the Anadia World Challenge Cup, finishing seventh. [7] She placed 11th in the all-around at the Dutch Invitational. [8] She then competed at the World Championships in Antwerp and qualified for the all-around final alongside Gaelle Mys, marking the first time two Belgian gymnasts qualified for the World all-around final. [9] In the final, Waem finished 21st. [10]

2014

Waem began the season at the International Gymnix and finished sixth in the all-around, seventh on the uneven bars, and eighth on the balance beam. [11] At the Belgian Championships, she finished second in the all-around to Lisa Verschueren. [12] She then finished fourth in the all-around at a friendly meet against France and Romania. [13] At the European Championships, she helped Belgium qualify for their second-ever European team final and finish seventh. [14] She then finished fourth in the all-around at the Novara Cup, and Belgium placed third as a team. [15]

Waem competed at the 2014 World Championships and helped the Belgian team finish 11th, which at the time was the best-ever World Championships team result for Belgium. [16] Waem also qualified for her second consecutive World all-around final and finished 24th. [10]

2015

Waem only competed on the uneven bars at a friendly meet against Sweden and Austria, finishing third behind teammates Cindy Vandenhole and Lisa Verschueren. [17] She then competed in the all-around at the Novara Cup, finishing 13th, and Belgium placed third as a team. [18] She competed at the World Championships alongside Vandenhole, Verschueren, Julie Croket, Rune Hermans, and Gaelle Mys. They finished 11th as a team and qualified for the 2016 Olympic Test Event. She did not qualify for a third all-around final due to a fall off the uneven bars. [19]

2016

Waem began the season at the International Gymnix, helping Belgium win the team competition and finishing fourth on the uneven bars. [20] She then helped Belgium win a friendly meet against Romania and Germany and placed second in the all-around behind teammate Axelle Klinckaert. [21] At the Olympic Test Event, Waem helped Belgium finish third and qualify as a full team for the Olympic Games for the first time since 1948. [2] [22] She competed as a guest at the Dutch Championships and won a gold medal on the uneven bars. [23]

Waem was selected to represent Belgium at the 2016 Summer Olympics alongside Klinckaert (later replaced by reserve Rune Hermans), [24] Senna Deriks, Nina Derwael, and Gaelle Mys. [22] The team placed 12th in the qualification round. [25]

Post-gymnastics

Waem tore her Achilles tendon in 2017 and subsequently announced her retirement to focus on her pharmaceutical science studies. [2] In 2020, Waem published an open letter detailing her experience of abuse in gymnastics. [26] [27]

Competitive history

Competitive history of Laura Waem [28]
YearEventTeamAA VT UB BB FX
Junior
2012 International Gymnix 1758
Junior European Championships 12
Senior
2013International Gymnix1264
Anadia World Challenge Cup 7
Dutch Invitational11
World Championships 21
2014 International Gymnix 678
Belgian ChampionshipsSilver medal icon.svgBronze medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgBronze medal icon.svg
Beaumont en Véron FriendlyBronze medal icon.svg4Silver medal icon.svg
European Championships 7
Novara CupBronze medal icon.svg4Bronze medal icon.svg
World Championships 1124
2015 BEL-SWE-AUS FriendlyBronze medal icon.svg
Novara CupBronze medal icon.svg13
World Championships 11
2016 International GymnixGold medal icon.svg4
Belgium FriendlyGold medal icon.svgSilver medal icon.svgSilver medal icon.svgBronze medal icon.svg
Olympic Test Event Bronze medal icon.svg118
Dutch ChampionshipsGold medal icon.svg7
Olympic Games 12

References

  1. ↑ "Laura Waem". Olympedia . Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Laura Waem zet punt achter turncarrière" [Laura Waem ends gymnastics career]. Flemish Gymnastics Federation (in Dutch). 21 December 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  3. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (11 March 2012). "2012 International Gymnix Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  4. ↑ "2012 Brussels Team Results" (PDF). Gymnastics Results. European Gymnastics. 9 May 2012. p. 3. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "Laura Waem: 'Dit wordt voor mij heel speciaal WK'" [Laura Waem: 'This will be a very special World Championships for me']. Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 24 September 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  6. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (10 March 2013). "2013 International Gymnix Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  7. ↑ "Challenge Cup Senior CIII Anadia (POR) 2013 Jun 21-23 Artistic Gymnastics Results Event Finals Women". Gymnastics Results. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  8. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (1 September 2013). "2013 Dutch Invitational Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  9. ↑ "Mys: "Met zijn tweeën in finale is fantastisch"" [Mys: "Together in the final is fantastic"]. Sporza (in Dutch). 3 October 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Laura Waem laatste in allroundfinale, wereldtitel voor Amerikaanse". Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch). 10 October 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  11. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (9 March 2014). "2014 International Gymnix Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  12. ↑ "All-around Resultaten Belgisch kampioenschap A-niveau en Coupe KBT AGD Bniveau/Artistieke Gymnastiek Dames Mechelen 5-4-14 - 6-4-14 - Artistieke Gymnastiek Dames" (PDF). Gymnastics Results (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  13. ↑ "Notes des juges Match France Belgique Romanie" (PDF). Gymnastics Results (in French). French Gymnastics Federation. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  14. ↑ "EK Turnen Sofia: Belgisch meisjesteam wordt 7de in Teamfinale" [EC Gymnastics Sofia: Belgian Girls Team Finishes 7th in Team Final]. Flemish Gymnastics Federation (in Dutch). 17 May 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  15. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (6 September 2014). "Italy Dominates the 2014 Novara Cup". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  16. ↑ "Belgische meisjes historisch elfde, Laura Waem in allroundfinale" [Belgian girls historic eleventh, Laura Waem in all-round final]. DeMorgen (in Dutch). 6 October 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  17. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (14 September 2014). "2015 Belgium-Sweden-Austria Friendly Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  18. ↑ "2015 Novara Cup Results". The Gymternet. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  19. ↑ Doens, Inge (24 October 2015). "WK Turnen 2015: Delhaize TOP-team meisjes naar Testevent in Rio" [2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: Delhaize TOP girls' team to Test Event in Rio]. Flemish Gymnastics Federation (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  20. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (5 March 2016). "2016 International Gymnix Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  21. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (3 April 2016). "2016 Belgium Friendly Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  22. 1 2 "Deze vijf turnsters zullen België vertegenwoordigen in Rio" [These five gymnasts will represent Belgium in Rio]. Sporza (in Dutch). 29 June 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  23. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (25 June 2016). "2016 Dutch Championships Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  24. ↑ "Laura Waem et l'équipe belge de gymnastique ne veulent pas se reposer sur leurs lauriers" [Laura Waem and the Belgian gymnastics team do not want to rest on their laurels]. RTBF (in French). 5 August 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  25. ↑ "Artistic Gymnastics Women Qualification" (PDF). Gymnastics Results. Rio 2016. 7 August 2016. p. 3. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  26. ↑ "Laura Waem: "Praktijken bleven ook na Spelen van Rio gangbaar"" [Laura Waem: "Practices remained common after the Rio Games"]. Sporza (in Dutch). 27 July 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  27. ↑ "Laura Waem: "Dat Gymfed alles minimaliseert, is klap in het gezicht"" [Laura Waem: "The fact that Gymfed minimizes everything is a slap in the face"]. Sporza (in Dutch). 29 July 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  28. ↑ Hopkins, Lauren (21 December 2014). "Laura Waem". The Gymternet. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
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