Memorial Van Damme facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Memorial Van Damme |
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| Date | Late August – early September |
| Location |  Brussels, Belgium |
| Event type | Track and field |
| World Athletics Cat. | GW/DF |
| Established | 16 August 1977 |
| Official site | Memorial Van Damme |
 2025 Memorial Van Damme |
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The Memorial Van Damme is a super exciting yearly sports event that happens in Brussels, Belgium. It's a big track and field competition where athletes run, jump, and throw. This event usually takes place in late August or early September at the King Baudouin Stadium.
It's one of the most important events in the Diamond League, which is like a championship series for track and field. From 2010 to 2019, it was one of the final events, and in 2024 and 2026, it was the only final event of the Diamond League! This means it's where the best athletes compete to win the overall title.
The event started in 1977. It was created by a group of journalists to honor a Belgian athlete named Ivo Van Damme. Ivo was a fantastic runner who won two silver medals at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. Sadly, he passed away in a car accident at just 22 years old, so this event keeps his memory alive.
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World Records Set at the Memorial Van Damme
The Memorial Van Damme is famous because many amazing world records have been broken there over the years! Athletes push their limits and achieve incredible feats. Here are some of the world records that have been set at this exciting event:
| Year | Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Mile | 3:47.33 | Sebastian Coe |  United Kingdom |
| 1995 | 5000 m | 13:07.38 WJR | Daniel Komen |  Kenya |
| 1000 m | 2:29.34 | Maria de Lurdes Mutola |  Mozambique |
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| 1996 | 10,000 m | 26:38.08 | Salah Hissou |  Morocco |
| 1000 m | 2:28.98 | Svetlana Masterkova |  Russia |
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| 1997 | 5000 m | 12:39.74 | Daniel Komen | Kenya |
| 10,000 m | 26:27.85 | Paul Tergat | Kenya |
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| 2001 | 3000 m | 7:30.67 WJR | Kenenisa Bekele |  Ethiopia |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 7:55.28 | Brahim Boulami | Morocco |
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| 2004 | 10,000 m | 27:04.00 WJR | Boniface Toroitich Kiprop |  Uganda |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 7:53.63 | Saif Saaeed Shaheen |  Qatar |
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| Pole vault | 4.92 m | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia |
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| 2005 | 10,000 m | 26:17.53 | Kenenisa Bekele | Ethiopia |
| 2006 | 4 × 800 m relay | 7:02.43 | Joseph Mutua William Yiampoy Ismael Kombich Wilfred Bungei |
Kenya |
| 2007 | Two miles | 8:58.58 | Meseret Defar | Ethiopia |
| 2009 | 4 × 1500 m relay | 14:36.23 | William Biwott Tanui Gideon Gathimba Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono Augustine Kiprono Choge |
Kenya |
| 2012 | 110 m hurdles | 12.80 | Aries Merritt |  United States |
| 2020 | 20,000 m (track) | 56:20.02+ | Bashir Abdi | Belgium |
| One hour | 21,330 m | Mo Farah | Great Britain |
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| 18,930 m | Sifan Hassan |  Netherlands |
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| T51 100 m | 19.71 | Peter Genyn | Belgium |
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| 2023 | 2000 m | 4:43.13 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen |  Norway |
Meeting Records: Best Performances at the Event
Besides world records, the Memorial Van Damme also has its own "meeting records." These are the best performances ever achieved at this specific event for each type of race or field event. Athletes from all over the world come to try and break these records!
Men's Records
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet | Ref. | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 m | 9.76 | Usain Bolt |  Jamaica |
16 September 2011 | 2011 | [1] | |
| 200 m | 19.26 DLR | Yohan Blake | Jamaica |
16 September 2011 | 2011 | [2] | |
| 400 m | 44.03 | Michael Cherry | United States |
3 September 2021 | 2021 | ||
| 800 m | 1:42.20 | Wilson Kipketer |  Denmark |
22 August 1997 | 1997 | ||
| 1000 m | 2:14.95 | Sammy Koskei | Kenya |
30 August 1985 | 1985 | ||
| 1500 m | 3:26.12 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco |
24 August 2001 | 2001 | ||
| Mile | 3:47.30 | Noureddine Morceli |  Algeria |
3 September 1993 | 1993 | ||
| 2000 m | 4:43.13 WR | Jakob Ingebrigtsen | Norway |
8 September 2023 | 2023 | ||
| 3000 m | 7:23.09 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco |
3 September 1999 | 1999 | ||
| 5000 m | 12:39.74 | Daniel Komen | Kenya |
22 August 1997 | 1997 | ||
| 10,000 m | 26:17.53 | Kenenisa Bekele | Ethiopia |
26 August 2005 | 2005 | ||
| 20,000 m | 56:20.02+ WR DLR | Bashir Abdi | Belgium |
4 September 2020 | 2020 | ||
| One hour | 21,330 m DLR | Mo Farah | Great Britain |
4 September 2020 | 2020 | ||
| 110 m hurdles | 12.80 WR | Aries Merritt | United States |
7 September 2012 | 2012 | ||
| 400 m hurdles | 47.51 | Andre Phillips | United States |
5 September 1986 | 1986 | ||
| 3000 m steeplechase | 7:53.63 | Saif Saaeed Shaheen | Qatar |
3 September 2004 | 2004 | ||
| High jump | 2.43 m DLR | Mutaz Essa Barshim | Qatar |
5 September 2014 | 2014 | ||
| Pole vault | 6.11 m | Armand Duplantis |  Sweden |
13 September 2024 | 2024 | ||
| Long jump | 8.65 m | Carl Lewis | United States |
24 August 1984 | 1984 | ||
| Triple jump | 17.60 m | Jonathan Edwards | United Kingdom |
25 August 1995 | 1995 | ||
| Shot put | 22.98 m | Leonardo Fabbri |  Italy |
14 September 2024 | 2024 | ||
| Discus throw | 69.96 m | Matthew Denny |  Australia |
13 September 2024 | 2024 | ||
| Hammer throw | 82.26 m | Lance Deal | United States |
23 August 1996 | 1996 | ||
| Javelin throw | 93.48 m (old design) | Tom Petranoff | United States |
26 August 1983 | 1983 | ||
| 90.50 m (current design) | Jan Železný |  Czech Republic |
25 August 1995 | 1995 | |||
| 4 × 100 m relay | 38.49 | Xavi Mo-Ajok Taymir Burnet Hensley Paulina Raphael Bouju |
Netherlands |
8 September 2023 | 2023 | ||
| 4 × 800 m relay | 7:02.43 | Joseph Mwengi Mutua William Yiampoy Ismael Kipngetich Kombich Wilfred Bungei |
Kenya |
25 August 2006 | 2006 | ||
| 4 × 1500 m relay | 14:36.23 | William Biwott Tanui Gideon Gathimba Geoffrey Rono Augustine Choge |
Kenya |
4 September 2009 | 2009 |
Women's Records
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 m | 10.72 | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Jamaica |
6 September 2013 | 2013 | |
| 10.72 | Elaine Thompson | Jamaica |
9 September 2016 | 2016 | ||
| 200 m | 21.48 DLR | Shericka Jackson | Jamaica |
8 September 2023 | 2023 | |
| 400 m | 48.83 | Sanya Richards | United States |
4 September 2009 | 2009 | |
| 800 m | 1:55.16 | Pamela Jelimo | Kenya |
6 September 2008 | 2008 | |
| 1000 m | 2:28.98 | Svetlana Masterkova | Russia |
23 August 1996 | 1996 | |
| 1500 m | 3:54.75 | Faith Kipyegon | Kenya |
14 September 2024 | 2024 | |
| Mile | 4:14.74 | Sifan Hassan | Netherlands |
3 September 2021 | 2021 | |
| 2000 m | 5:30.19 | Gelete Burka | Ethiopia |
4 September 2009 | 2009 | |
| 3000 m | 8:24.81+ | Meseret Defar | Ethiopia |
14 September 2007 | 2007 | |
| Two miles | 8:58.58 WB | Meseret Defar | Ethiopia |
14 September 2007 | 2007 | |
| 5000 m | 14:09.82 | Beatrice Chebet | Kenya |
14 September 2024 | 2024 | |
| One hour | 18,930 m DLR | Sifan Hassan | Netherlands |
4 September 2020 | 2020 | |
| 100 m hurdles | 12.27 | Jasmine Camacho-Quinn |  Puerto Rico |
2 September 2022 | 2022 | |
| 400 m hurdles | 52.11 | Femke Bol | Netherlands |
8 September 2023 | 2023 | |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 8:55.10 | Beatrice Chepkoech | Kenya |
31 August 2018 | 2018 | |
| High jump | 2.05 m | Anna Chicherova | Russia |
16 September 2011 | 2011 | |
| Yaroslava Mahuchikh |  Ukraine |
2 September 2022 | 2022 | |||
| Pole vault | 5.00 m | Sandi Morris | United States |
9 September 2016 | 2016 | |
| Long jump | 7.25 m | Heike Drechsler |  Germany |
13 September 1991 | 1991 | |
| Triple jump | 15.14 m | Tatyana Lebedeva | Russia |
5 September 2003 | 2003 | |
| Shot put | 20.59 m | Valerie Adams |  New Zealand |
5 September 2014 | 2014 | |
| Discus throw | 69.84 m | Tsvetanka Christova |  Bulgaria |
5 September 1986 | 1986 | |
| Javelin throw | 72.18 m (old design) | Fatima Whitbread | United Kingdom |
5 September 1986 | 1986 | |
| 68.11 m (current design) | Kara Winger | United States |
2 September 2022 | 2022 | ||
| 4 × 100 m relay | 42.97 | Gwen Torrence Sheila Echols Dannette Young Evelyn Ashford |
United States |
19 August 1988 | 1988 |
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Memorial Van Damme Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.