Golden Finish for Lucca, Silver Lining for Ilona at Belgian Nationals
Today’s Allianz Belgian National Championships delivered drama, grit and a strong showing from Beyond the Board’s triple jumpers.
With Max and Flo still sidelined due to injury, all eyes were on Lucca and Ilona — and they didn’t disappoint.
In a nail-biting men’s final, Lucca pulled off an extraordinary last-jump comeback. Sitting outside of medal contention, he launched himself to a personal best of 15.29m, snatching gold in spectacular fashion. His leap not only secured the national title but also surpassed the qualifying standard for the U20 European Championships (unfortunately just past the deadline). Clutch performance under pressure!
Ilona, meanwhile, delivered a consistent series in the women’s final. Despite her best efforts, fatigue crept in at the wrong time, preventing her from hitting the big jump she was aiming for. She still walked away with a well-earned silver medal, though just shy of the gold she had her sights on.
With the World Championships in Tokyo just around the corner, the focus now shifts to the global stage — and Ilona will be looking to peak when it matters most.
Stay tuned. Big things ahead.
The official live stream below starts at Lucca’s winning jump.
The video below shows a trackside smartphone recording of one of Ilona’s jump, and below that is the official livestream, starting at the silver jump of Ilona.