Four female athletes have also been selected: Sara Aerts, Loes Hubrecht, Dora De Haseleer and Katrien De Neve.
The previous years’ Belgian Bullets were also required to pass this year’s tests, which is why pilot An Vannieuwenhuyse, number one last season, was not selected for the women’s final four. She is in the second category – athletes on whom the federation still needs to deliberate. They will have a second chance but will be tested every month to assess the evolution of their performance. Kelly Van Petegem is also in this second tier.
“We let them take part in this assessment so that they can call themselves into question,” the federation explained. “Where An Vannieuwenhuyse is concerned, you could say she did not have a happy season. We are waiting for a clear signal from her in the coming months.”
About 30 athletes were present in Louvain on Wednesday, 20 of them male.
Under the watchful eye of Vanvaerenbergh and Rudy Diels, they did a test sprint on 60 metres followed by a sprint exercise with weights to imitate the start. Finally, they performed a standing high jump, a good measure of the spring in an athlete’s legs.
Oscar Schneider
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