Ilona Masson soars to 14.26m and lands her ticket for the European Championships in Birmingham

At the 5th Lucca International Meeting in Italy, triple jumper Ilona Masson recorded 14.26m, improving her personal best by 20 centimetres. The mark cleared not only the Belgian qualifying standard but also the stricter European entry standard for the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham (10 to 16 August 2026, Alexander Stadium).

With this jump, Masson moves up to second on the Belgian all-time list, now just 29 centimetres behind Svetlana Bolshakova, who is herself an ambassador of Beyond the Board. The progression is clear: last season she represented Belgium at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, and this season she is jumping her way towards the European Championships.

Her selection is still subject to official confirmation by Belgian Athletics, but the performance speaks for itself: a 20-centimetre improvement on your own best is a giant leap in the triple jump.

Coach Michel Boels: “A few months ago Ilona was sidelined with a foot injury. Today she jumps a personal best and the European qualifying mark. You never make a comeback like that on your own: the doctor, the physiotherapist, Ilona and I built it back together, step by step. This is teamwork in its purest form, and it proves once again that perseverance always pays off.”

At Beyond the Board we could not be prouder. This is exactly what we work towards with our partners: giving Belgian athletes the structure and the support to perform at the highest international level. On to Birmingham.