On Sunday, the King Baudouin Stadium will welcome vulnerable children, accompanied by their parents, for an introduction to athletics with top Belgian athletes. The initiative aims to make sport more accessible and inclusive for an afternoon.
Nearly 150 children will be able to discover different athletics disciplines, with sprinting, long jump, hurdles, javelin and ball throwing on the programme. The day, co-organised by Engie and the Van Damme Memorial, will conclude with a 10x200-metre relay race, during which participants will be able to put into practice the running techniques they have learned during the afternoon.
The young athletes will be encouraged by Kim Gevaert, Olympic 4x100-metre relay champion and director of the Van Damme Memorial. "Thanks to this event, young people have the opportunity to discover athletics in the company of professionals. Initiatives like this, which combine sport and mental resilience and may reveal new talent, are invaluable," said the Leuven native in a statement.
Other Belgian athletes of international stature will be on hand to support the children and adults. Liefde Schoemaker and Camille Laus, members of the Belgian Cheetahs (the women's 4x400m relay team), as well as Jolien Maliga Boumkwo, champion in shot put and hammer throw, will participate in the initiation.
The event is also organised in collaboration with the non-profit organisation Hope, which is committed to fighting poverty, harassment and social isolation.
