Charles Dewachtere facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Born | 22 December 1927 Ghent, Belgium |
| Died | 22 July 2020 (aged 92) Ghent, Belgium |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Long-distance running |
| Event(s) | Marathon |
Charles Paul Dewachtere (born December 22, 1927 – died July 22, 2020) was a talented long-distance runner from Belgium. He was known for his amazing speed and endurance. Charles competed in the marathon at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He also won the Belgian championship twice!
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Meet Charles Dewachtere
Charles Paul Dewachtere was a skilled athlete from Belgium. He was born on December 22, 1927, and passed away on July 22, 2020. Charles was a long-distance runner. This means he specialized in races that cover many kilometers. He trained hard to run for a long time without stopping.
Becoming a Belgian Champion
Charles Dewachtere proved he was one of the best runners in Belgium. He won the national championship more than once!
His First Big Win
In 1951, Charles showed his strength. He became the Belgian champion in a race that was 35 kilometers long. This race took place between two towns, Waregem and Ghent. Winning this race was a big step for his running career.
Winning the Marathon Title
The next year, in 1952, the Belgian championship was even more important. This time, it was held over the official marathon distance. A marathon is a very long race, about 42 kilometers (26 miles). This race was also a special qualification event for the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.
Charles Dewachtere ran incredibly fast in this race. Another runner, Jean Leblond, helped set a very quick pace. Charles won the Belgian championship with an amazing time. At that point, only two runners from England had ever run a faster marathon. This made Charles one of the top favorites for the upcoming Olympic Games.
The 1952 Summer Olympics
Because of his fantastic performance, Charles Dewachtere was expected to do very well at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was considered one of the main athletes to watch in the marathon event.
However, things didn't go as planned for Charles. He suffered a heel bone injury. This injury made it difficult for him to run his best. Even with the injury, he still finished 18th in the Olympic marathon. The winner of that race was the famous runner Emil Zátopek. Interestingly, Zátopek's winning time was only four seconds faster than the time Charles had achieved at the Belgian championships. This shows just how fast Charles was, even when he wasn't at his peak.
