European 100m champion Churandy Martina is entered in a strong field over 200m. Martina won the 200m at the Lausanne Diamond League meeting in a national record of 19”81, the 3rd alltime European performance on the distance. Since 1979 Pietro Mennea holds the European record (19”72), while Lemaitre holds the second alltime European best (19”80).
The Dutchman competed in 3 consecutive 200m Olympic finals, a record only matched by … Usain Bolt. Martina missed out on the bronze medal in Rio by only one hundredth of a second in a close finish with Lemaitre and Gemili.
Besides Martina and Schippers more Dutch athletes are expected in Brussels. Solomon Bockarie in the 200m, Liemarvin Bonevacia in the 400m, pacemaker Bram Som in the 800m, Susan Kuijken in the 5000m and Femke Pluim in the Pole Vault. On Friday Melissa Boekelman competes in the Shot Put that will be held on the Central Market Square in the city center.
