Kim Gevaert facts for kids

Gevaert in 2008
Quick facts for kids Personal information
Born	5 August 1978 (1978-08-05) (age 46) Leuven, Belgium
Height	170 cm
Weight	60 kg
Spouse(s)	Djeke Mambo
Sport
Club	V. A. C. Steenokkerzeel CA Valencia Terra i Mar
Coached by	Rudi Diels
Retired	2008
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals	2004, 2008
Personal best(s)	100 m – 11.04 (2006) 200 m – 22.20 (2006)
Medal record Representing  Belgium Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 0 0 World Championships 0 0 1 World Indoor Championships 0 1 1 European Championships 2 2 0 European Indoor Championships 3 0 0 Continental Cup 0 1 0 Universiade 1 1 0 Total 7 5 2 Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing 4×100 m relay World Championships Bronze 2007 Osaka 4×100 m relay World Indoor Championships Silver 2004 Budapest 60 m Bronze 2006 Moscow 60 m European Championships Gold 2006 Gothenburg 100 m Gold 2006 Gothenburg 200 m Silver 2002 Munich 100 m Silver 2002 Munich 200 m European Indoor Championships Gold 2002 Vienna 60 m Gold 2005 Madrid 60 m Gold 2007 Birmingham 60 m Summer Universiade Gold 1999 Mallorca 200 m Silver 2001 Beijing 200 m Continental Cup Silver 2006 Athens 200 m

Kim Gevaert, born on August 5, 1978, in Leuven, Belgium, is a famous former sprinter. She is an Olympic champion known for her incredible speed on the track.

Kim Gevaert's Sprinting Career

Kim Gevaert had a very successful career as a sprinter. She competed in many important races around the world.

Early World Championships Success

In 2004, Kim almost won a world title. She finished just 4/100 of a second behind the champion, Gail Devers, at the World Indoor Championships. Two years later, in 2006, she won a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships. She set a new Belgian record with a time of 7.11 seconds.

European Championship Wins

On August 9, 2006, Kim won the 100 metres race at the 2006 European Athletics Championships. Her winning time was 11.06 seconds. Just two days later, she also won the 200 metres final. This was a big moment for Belgium, as her teammate Tia Hellebaut had also won a gold medal in high jump minutes before. Kim Gevaert was the first Belgian to win a gold medal at the European Championships in 35 years. She was also the first woman since 1994 to win both the 100m and 200m sprint races at the same event.

World Championships and Olympic Dreams

At the 2007 World Championships in Athletics, Kim won a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay. She ran with her teammates Hanna Mariën, Olivia Borlée, and Élodie Ouédraogo. Their team set a new Belgian record with a time of 42.75 seconds. A few days before, she finished 5th in the 100m final, making her the best European athlete in that race.

Retirement and Olympic Gold

Kim Gevaert announced her retirement on her 30th birthday, just before the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She planned to stop competing at the end of the 2008 season.

Kim Gevaert during the 2008 Night of Athletics

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Kim was in top shape. She reached the 100m semifinals but did not make it to the finals. A few days later, in the 4×100m relay final, Kim ran the last part of the race for the Belgian team. They finished second, winning a silver medal and setting a new Belgian record of 42.54 seconds.

Years later, on August 16, 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a change. The Russian team, who had won gold, was disqualified because one of their athletes had used illegal substances. This meant the Belgian team, including Kim, was awarded the gold medal! Kim received her Olympic gold medal eight years later, on September 10, 2016.

Kim Gevaert officially ended her career on September 5, 2008. She ran her last 100m race at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium, and won it with a time of 11.25 seconds.

Kim Gevaert's Personal Life

Kim Gevaert has two brothers, Marlon and John, and a sister named Sigrid. Her brother Marlon used to be a sprinter in Belgium and is now a sprint coach in New Zealand.

In 2010, Kim married her long-time partner, Djeke Mambo, who is also an athlete. They have two sons and one daughter. Their children are bilingual, meaning they speak two languages. Their father's main language is French, and their mother's is Flemish.

Awards and Recognitions

Kim Gevaert has received many awards for her amazing achievements in athletics.

• Golden Spike - Best female athlete: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
• Vlaamse Reus: 2002, 2004, 2007
• Flemish Sportsjewel: 2002
• Honorary Citizen of Kampenhout: 2002
• Belgian Sports Personality of the Year: 2004
• Belgian Sports team of the Year: Women's 4×100 metres relay: 2004, 2007, 2008
• Golden Medal of Honor of the Flemish Parliament: 2005
• Belgian National Sports Merit Award: 2006 (with Tia Hellebaut)
• Flemish Sportsjewel: 2007 (Women's 4×100 metres relay team)
• Honorary Citizen of Steenokkerzeel: 2006
• Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown, by Royal Decree of H.M. King Albert II: 2009
• Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee Order of Merit: 2021
• Belgian National Sports Merit Award: 2007 (Women's 4×100 metres relay team)
• Honorary Citizen of Sint-Genesius-Rode: 2017

Major Achievements in Athletics

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  Belgium
1996	World Junior Championships	Sydney, Australia	100m	10th (sf)	11.74
			200m	7th	23.88 (wind: -2.2 m/s)
1999	European U23 Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	100m	3rd	11.39 (wind: -0.2 m/s)
			200m	5th	23.08 (wind: -0.5 m/s)
2002	European Indoor Championship	Vienna, Austria	60 m	1st	7.16
	European Championships	Munich, Germany	100 m	2nd	11.22
			200 m	2nd	22.53
2003	1st IAAF World Athletics Final	Monte Carlo, Monaco	200 m	4th	22.95
2004	World Indoor Championships	Budapest, Hungary	60 m	2nd	7.12 NR
	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	200 m	6th	22.84
2005	European Indoor Championships	Madrid, Spain	60 m	1st	7.16
2006	World Indoor Championships	Moscow, Russia	60 m	3rd	7.11 NR
	European Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	100 m	1st	11.06 (First Belgian woman to win a gold medal in this event.)
			200 m	1st	22.68
2007	European Indoor Championship	Birmingham, England	60 m	1st	7.12 (7.10 in the semi-final NR)
	World Championships	Osaka, Japan	100 m	5th	11.05 (First European woman)
			4 × 100 m	3rd	42.75 NR
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing Olympic Stadium, Beijing, China	4 × 100 m	1st	42.54 NR
	Memorial Van Damme	Brussels, Belgium	100 m	1st	11.25 (last event before her retirement)

Kim Gevaert's Best Times

These are Kim Gevaert's fastest times in different races, which are also Belgian records:

• 60 metres: 7.10 seconds
• 100 metres: 11.04 seconds (Brussels, July 9, 2006)
• 200 metres: 22.20 seconds (Brussels, July 9, 2006)
• 400 metres: 51.45 seconds (Gent, May 8, 2005)

See also

In Spanish: Kim Gevaert para niños