CHORZÓW, POLAND — A Belgian Shot Putter and Hammer Throw Champion saved the day for Team Belgium at the European Championships over the weekend. After two of her teammates were injured, Jolien Boumkwo volunteered to run the women's 100m Hurdles race to attempt to score points for Belgium so her team was not automatically disqualified from the competition.
Jolien Boumkwo
(Credit: uk.style.yahoo.com)
"My team is the most important thing for me. I couldn't let it happen to lose by one point. That's why I've considered taking part in 100m hurdles," Boumkwo said. "There was no risk for me if I took it calmly. Maybe it's once in a lifetime opportunity to take part in such a run. I really enjoyed the race. There were a few doubts in my mind, but now I can tell I'm glad about this new experience."
Check out the race here:
The 29-year-old may not have been in her element, but she made sure her team stayed alive in the overall competition. At the finish line, Boumkwo was congratulated by her competitors for going the extra mile for her team. She finished the race in 32.81 seconds, which was 19 seconds behind her competition. Teresa Errandonea of Spain won the event with a time of 13.22 seconds.
Jolien Boumkwo
(Credit: reuters.com)
Boumkwo finished 7th overall in the shot put the day prior. Poland finished second overall in the standings with 402.5 points behind Italy. Italy won the competition with 426.5 points.
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