16th June 2024
Belgium was the destination for Russel and a spot secured in the 200m at the Immobel International Athletics meeting of Nivelles Belgium, another WA Continental Tour Challenger competition.
One of the most important meetings for Belgium organised by the Cercle Athlétique du Brabant Wallon as part of the International circuit of Europe Athletics Promotion, this meeting offered another great chance for Russel to measure progress this season against other top athletes coming from several countries around the world.
It was lane 8 on Sunday for the 200m, up against top competition from Gabon, France, Gambia, Germany, and four Belgian runners completing the line-up. Unfortunately for the athletes weather conditions were abysmal with the wet and windy “summer” now becoming a regular feature for these European excursions.
However the organisers did their very best sweeping away as much water as possible and were continually battling the elements to ensure the race went ahead and the track was as good as it could be under the circumstances.
Athletes likewise, many having travelled far, and at considerable expense, simply had to grin and bear it into the strong headwinds and wet conditions and give of their best regardless.
At the finish line it was Russel in third place for Malaysia (22.10), Patrice Sasa (22.05) of France second, and in first Gabon athlete Guy Maganga Gorra (22.01).
Guy Maganga Gorra had run a 20.62 just two weeks ago in Brussels so whilst none of the athletes could be content with the conditions or times, it was a well fought and close battle and a credit to all to give it their best shot in challenging conditions to make the best of it regardless of the circumstances. With an average rainfall of close to 200 days a year, there’s a fair chance that it will be raining at least sometime during a competition in Belgium. Such is the nature of outdoor competition and the variations that can occur on any given day!
And another good experience for Russel, and another EU country ticked off where the European athletics fans witnessed a Malaysian athlete representing the country well and showing we can mix it with our European and African counterparts whatever the weather!