Olivia Borlée facts for kids
Olivia Borlée at the 2009 World Championships
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Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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| Born | 10 April 1986 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium |
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| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 200 metres | |||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Florida State University | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Olivia Borlée is a famous Belgian sprinter who was born on April 10, 1986, in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium. She was especially good at the 200 metres race. Her fastest time in the 200 metres was 22.98 seconds. She also ran the 100 metres in 11.39 seconds.
Olivia is best known for winning a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She was part of the 4 × 100 m relay team. Her teammates were Hanna Mariën, Élodie Ouédraogo, and Kim Gevaert. They set a new Belgian record with their time of 42.54 seconds.
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Sport Career Highlights
Olivia Borlée proudly represented Belgium at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She competed in the 4 × 100 metres relay race. Her team, which included Kim Gevaert, Hanna Mariën, and Élodie Ouédraogo, performed very well.
In their first race, they finished first, beating teams from Great Britain, Brazil, and Nigeria. Their fast time of 42.92 seconds was one of the best among all the countries. This great result helped them qualify for the final race.
In the final, the Belgian team ran even faster, finishing in 42.54 seconds. They originally won the silver medal, coming in second place behind Russia. However, later on, it was discovered that one of the Russian runners had used banned substances. Because of this, the Russian team was disqualified. This meant that the Belgian team was moved up to the gold medal position! Olivia and her teammates were officially given their gold medals eight years later, on September 10, 2016.
Olivia also competed for Belgium at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She ran in the 200 metres event. She finished seventh in her race and did not move on to the next round. Olivia had the special honor of being the flag bearer for Belgium during the opening ceremony. She retired from professional running after the Rio Olympics.
Fashion Business
After she stopped competing in sports, Olivia Borlée started a new adventure. She teamed up with her Olympic teammate, Élodie Ouédraogo, to create a sportswear brand. Their company is called 4254. The name "4254" comes from the amazing time of 42.54 seconds that they ran when they won their Olympic medal. This brand focuses on making sportswear in a way that is good for the environment. In 2018, their brand won the "Emerging Talent of the Year" award at the Belgian Fashion Awards.
The Borlée Family of Athletes
Olivia Borlée comes from a very athletic family! Her father, Jacques Borlée, was also a sprinter. He won a bronze medal in the 200 metres at the 1983 European Indoor Championships. Olivia's mother, Edith Demaertelaere, was also a good sprinter.
Six of Jacques Borlée's seven children are athletes. Olivia is the eldest daughter and won an Olympic gold medal. She also won a bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka with the 4 × 100 m relay team. Her sister, Alizia, was also a good sprinter.
Olivia has four brothers who are all excellent 400 metres runners. These include the twins Jonathan and Kevin, who both reached the Olympic finals in London in 2012. Her other brothers are Dylan and the youngest, Rayane. Even Jacques' older brother, Jean-Pierre, was a sprinter. It's truly a family of champions!
Images for kids
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Olivia Borlée at the 2009 World Championships.
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Olivia Borlée (first from left) at a competition in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Olivia Borlée para niños
