# Belgium at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Belgium competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. 96 Belgians took part in Beijing, the biggest delegation for the country since 1976. Belgium won 2 gold medals, better achievement than in 2004, when the country won 1 gold and 2 bronze medals.

## Medalists

| Medal | Name | Sport | Event |
| Gold | Tia Hellebaut | Athletics | Women's high jump |
| Gold | Olivia Borlée Kim Gevaert Hanna Mariën Élodie Ouédraogo | Athletics | Women's 4 × 100 m relay |
* $^a$ Russian team's gold medals were stripped due to anti-doping rules violation by Yulia Chermoshanskaya.

## Athletics
### Key

* Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
* Q = Qualified for the next round
* q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
* NR = National record
* N/A = Round not applicable for the event
* Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

### Track & road events

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Quarterfinal | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Kristof Beyens | 200 m | 20.69 | 3 Q | 20.50 | 3 Q | 20.69 | 8 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Jonathan Borlée | 400 m | 45:25 | 4 q | — | — | 45.11 | 5 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kévin Borlée | 400 m | 45:43 | 4 q | — | — | 44.88 NR | 3 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Pieter Desmet | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:37.99 | 11 | — | — | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Monder Rizki | 5000 m | 13:54.41 | 8 | — | — | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Cédric van Branteghem | 400 m | 45:54 | 3 Q | — | — | 45.81 | 8 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Jonathan Borlée Kévin Borlée Arnaud Ghislain Cédric van Branteghem | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:00:67 NR | 3 Q | — | — | — | — | 2:59.37 NR | 5 |

### Field events

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Distance | Position | Distance | Position |
| Kevin Rans | Pole vault | 5.45 | 28 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Combined events – Decathlon

| Athlete | Event | 100 m | LJ | SP | HJ | 400 m | 110H | DT | PV | JT | 1500 m | Final | Rank |
| Hans van Alphen | Result | 11.28 | 6.55 | 14.86 | 1.84 | DNS | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF |
| Hans van Alphen | Points | 799 | 709 | 781 | 661 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF |
| Frédéric Xhonneux | Result | 11.41 | 6.94 | 13.99 | 1.90 | DNF | DNS | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF |
| Frédéric Xhonneux | Points | 776 | 799 | 728 | 714 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF |

### Track & road events

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Quarterfinal | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Nathalie de Vos | 10000 m | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32:33.45 | 24 |
| Veerle Dejaeghere | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:54.65 | 10 | — | — | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Gevaert | 100 m | 11.33 | 1 Q | 11.10 | 3 Q | 11.30 | 6 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Olivia Borlée Kim Gevaert Hanna Mariën Élodie Ouédraogo | 4 × 100 m relay | 42.92 | 3 Q | — | — | — | — | 42.54 NR | |

### Field events

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Distance | Position | Distance | Position |
| Tia Hellebaut | High jump | 1.93 | 1 Q | 2.05 NR | |

## Canoeing

| Athlete | Event | Heats | Heats | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Kevin de Bont Bob Maesen | Men's K-2 1000 m | 3:21.604 | 4 QS | 3:24.148 | 4 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
Qualification Legend: QS = Qualify to semi-final; QF = Qualify directly to final

## Cycling
### Road
#### Men

| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank |
| Mario Aerts | Road race | 6:24:01 | 7 |
| Christophe Brandt | Road race | Did not finish | Did not finish |
| Maxime Monfort | Road race | Did not finish | Did not finish |
| Maxime Monfort | Time trial | 1:07:12 | 26 |
| Jurgen van den Broeck | Road race | Did not finish | Did not finish |
| Johan van Summeren | Road race | 6:26:27 | 42 |

#### Women

| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank |
| Lieselot Decroix | Road race | 3:36:35 | 44 |

### Track
#### Omnium

| Athlete | Event | Points | Laps | Rank |
| Iljo Keisse | Men's points race | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| Kenny de Ketele Iljo Keisse | Men's madison | 17 | −1 | 4 |

### Mountain biking

| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank |
| Filip Meirhaeghe | Men's cross-country | Did not finish | Did not finish |
| Sven Nys | Men's cross-country | 2:01:00 | 9 |
| Roel Paulissen | Men's cross-country | 2:03:30 | 19 |

## Equestrian
### Eventing

| Athlete | Horse | Event | Dressage | Dressage | Cross-country | Cross-country | Cross-country | Jumping | Jumping | Jumping | Jumping | Jumping | Jumping | Total | Total |
| Athlete | Horse | Event | Dressage | Dressage | Cross-country | Cross-country | Cross-country | Qualifier | Qualifier | Qualifier | Final | Final | Final | | | Total | Total |
| Athlete | Horse | Event | Penalties | Rank | Penalties | Total | Rank | Penalties | Total | Rank | Penalties | Total | Rank | Penalties | Rank |
| Karin Donckers | Gazelle De La Brasserie | Individual | 31.70 | 2 | 25.60 | 57.30 | 9 | 4.00 | 61.30 | 12 Q | 4.00 | 65.30 | 9 | 65.30 | 9 |
| Joris van Springel | Bold Action | Individual | 52.00 | 38 | 66.40 | 118.40 | 49 | 15.00 | 133.40 | 47 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | 133.40 | 46 |

### Show jumping

| Athlete | Horse | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Total | Total |
| Athlete | Horse | Event | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round A | Round A | Round B | Round B | Round B | | | Total | Total |
| Athlete | Horse | Event | Penalties | Rank | Penalties | Total | Rank | Penalties | Total | Rank | Penalties | Rank | Penalties | Total | Rank | Penalties | Rank |
| Jos Lansink | Cumano | Individual | 1 | =14 Q | 1 | 2 | 4 Q | 2 | 4 | 2 Q | 0 | =1 Q | 8 | 8 | =9 | 8 | =9 |

## Field hockey

Belgium managed to qualify a team to the men's tournament. They won one, drew one, and lost three games in the group play. This qualified them to a match for 9th/10th place, which they won, finishing 9th for the tournament.

### Men's tournament
#### Roster

The following is the Belgian roster in the men's field hockey tournament of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Head Coach: Adam Commens
* Cédric de Greve (GK)
* Xavier Reckinger
* Thierry Renaer
* Jérôme Dekeyser
* Loïc Vandeweghe (c)
* John-John Dohmen
* Thomas van den Balck
* Maxime Luycx
* Cédric Charlier
* Charles Vandeweghe
* Philippe Goldberg
* Gregory Gucassoff
* Thomas Briels
* Patrice Houssein
* Félix Denayer
* Jérôme Truyens
Reserve:
* David van Rysselberghe (GK)
* Alexandre de Saedeleer

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Spain | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 12 | Semi-finals |
| 2 | Germany | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 6 | +6 | 11 | Semi-finals |
| 3 | South Korea | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 7 | Fifth place game |
| 4 | New Zealand | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 7 | Seventh place game |
| 5 | Belgium | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 13 | −4 | 4 | Ninth place game |
| 6 | China (H) | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 16 | −9 | 1 | Eleventh place game |
* 11 August 2008 20:30
| Spain | 4–2 | Belgium |
| Amat 8' Freixa 20' Ribas 41' Sojo 49' | Report | Truyens 26' Dekeyser 63' |
* Umpires: Murray Grime (AUS) Roel van Eert (NED)
* 13 August 2008 18:30
| Belgium | 1–1 | Germany |
| Charlier 22' | Report | Witthaus 19' |
* Umpires: Rob ten Cate (NED) David Gentles (AUS)
* 15 August 2008 18:00
| Belgium | 2–4 | New Zealand |
| Dekeyser 43' Gucassoff 69' | Report | Child 19', 20' Brooks 30' McAleese 60' |
* Umpires: David Leiper (GBR) Xavier Adell (ESP)
* 17 August 2008 10:30
| South Korea | 3–1 | Belgium |
| You Hyo-sik 46', 51' Jang Jong-hyun 50' | Report | Dekeyser 20' |
* Umpires: Rob ten Cate (NED) Satinder Kumar (IND)
* 19 August 2008 21:00
| China | 1–3 | Belgium |
| Song Yi 4' | Report | Reckinger 28' Truyens 32' Dohmen 48' |
* Umpires: Murray Grime (AUS) Gary Simmonds (RSA)

#### 9th–10th place

* 21 August 2008 08:30
| Belgium | 3–0 | Canada |
| Dekeyser 2', 70' Dohmen 23' | Report | |
* Umpires: David Leiper (GBR) Xavier Adell (ESP)

## Football
### Men's tournament
#### Roster

The following is the Belgium squad in the men's football tournament of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Head coach: Jean-François de Sart
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Logan Bailly | (1985-12-27)27 December 1985 (aged 22) | 13 | 0 | Racing Genk |
| 2 | 2DF | Sepp de Roover* | (1984-11-12)12 November 1984 (aged 23) | 7 | 0 | Groningen |
| 3 | 2DF | Vincent Kompany | (1986-04-10)10 April 1986 (aged 22) | 1 | 0 | Hamburger SV |
| 4 | 2DF | Thomas Vermaelen | (1985-11-14)14 November 1985 (aged 22) | 16 | 1 | Ajax |
| 5 | 2DF | Sébastien Pocognoli | (1987-08-01)1 August 1987 (aged 21) | 19 | 1 | AZ |
| 6 | 3MF | Marouane Fellaini | (1987-11-22)22 November 1987 (aged 20) | 10 | 0 | Standard Liège |
| 7 | 4FW | Tom de Mul | (1986-03-04)4 March 1986 (aged 22) | 32 | 5 | Sevilla |
| 8 | 3MF | Faris Haroun | (1985-09-22)22 September 1985 (aged 22) | 30 | 5 | Racing Genk |
| 9 | 4FW | Kevin Mirallas | (1987-10-05)5 October 1987 (aged 20) | 12 | 6 | Lille |
| 10 | 3MF | Jan Vertonghen | (1987-04-24)24 April 1987 (aged 21) | 6 | 0 | Ajax |
| 11 | 3MF | Maarten Martens* (c) | (1984-07-02)2 July 1984 (aged 24) | 32 | 8 | AZ |
| 12 | 1GK | Yves Ma-Kalambay | (1986-01-31)31 January 1986 (aged 22) | 9 | 0 | Hibernian |
| 13 | 2DF | Laurent Ciman | (1985-08-05)5 August 1985 (aged 23) | 22 | 1 | Club Brugge |
| 14 | 3MF | Landry Mulemo | (1986-09-17)17 September 1986 (aged 21) | 18 | 0 | Standard Liège |
| 15 | 2DF | Jeroen Simaeys | (1985-05-12)12 May 1985 (aged 23) | 3 | 0 | Club Brugge |
| 16 | 3MF | Anthony Vanden Borre | (1987-10-24)24 October 1987 (aged 20) | 15 | 2 | Genoa |
| 17 | 4FW | Stijn de Smet | (1985-03-27)27 March 1985 (aged 23) | 25 | 3 | Cercle Brugge |
| 18 | 4FW | Mousa Dembélé | (1987-07-16)16 July 1987 (aged 21) | 2 | 0 | AZ |
| 19 | 3MF | Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe | (1989-02-02)2 February 1989 (aged 19) | 3 | 0 | Hamburger SV |
| 22 | 1GK | Yves de Winter | (1987-05-25)25 May 1987 (aged 21) | 6 | 0 | Westerlo |
* Over-aged player.

#### Notes

* ↑ Replaces Stijn De Smet who was injured during the competition
* ↑ Replaces Vincent Kompany who was returned to his club during the competition

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Brazil | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | +9 | 9 | Qualified for the quarterfinals |
| 2 | Belgium | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 6 | Qualified for the quarterfinals |
| 3 | China (H) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 1 | |
| 4 | New Zealand | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 1 | |

#### Bronze medal game
## Gymnastics
### Artistic
#### Men

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | F | PH | R | V | PB | HB | Total | Rank | F | PH | R | V | PB | HB | Total | Rank |
| Koen van Damme | All-around | 12.575 | 14.200 | 14.325 | 14.450 | 14.600 | 14.475 | 84.625 | 43 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

#### Women

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | F | V | UB | BB | Total | Rank | F | V | UB | BB | Total | Rank |
| Gaëlle Mys | All-around | 14.125 | 14.050 | 14.175 | 14.800 | 57.150 | 31 Q | 13.975 | 14.000 | 12.875 | 13.100 | 53.950 | 24 |

## Judo
### Men

| Athlete | Event | Preliminary | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage 1 | Repechage 2 | Repechage 3 | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Dirk van Tichelt | −73 kg | Bye | Mammadli (AZE) L 0000–1000 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Siamionau (BLR) W 1021–0020 | Kim C-S (PRK) W 1011–0000 | Kanamaru (JPN) W 0211–0000 | Boqiev (TJK) L 0000–0011 | 5 |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage 1 | Repechage 2 | Repechage 3 | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Ilse Heylen | −52 kg | La Rizza (FRA) W 0001–0000 | Ryder (AUS) W 1000–0000 | Nakamura (JPN) L 0000–0001 | Did not advance | Bye | Tarangul (GER) W 0002–0000 | Kaliyeva (KAZ) L 0000–1000 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Catherine Jacques | −70 kg | Bye | Scapin (ITA) L 0000–0010 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Rowing
### Men

| Athlete | Event | Heats | Heats | Repechage | Repechage | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Tim Maeyens | Single sculls | 7:16.60 | 1 QF | — | — | 6:52:70 | 2 SA/B | 6:59:65 | 3 FA | 7:03:40 | 4 |
| Bart Poelvoorde Christophe Raes | Double sculls | 6:31.84 | 4 R | 6:24:01 | 2 SA/B | — | — | 6:29:91 | 5 FB | 6:35:55 | 8 |
Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage

## Sailing
### Women

| Athlete | Event | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Net points | Final rank |
| Athlete | Event | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | M* | Net points | Final rank |
| Evi van Acker | Laser Radial | 1 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 18 | CAN | 10 | 91 | 8 |

### Open

| Athlete | Event | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Net points | Final rank |
| Athlete | Event | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | M* | Net points | Final rank |
| Carolijn Brouwer Sébastien Godefroid | Tornado | 11 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 6 | 16 | 9 | EL | 72 | 12 |
M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race

## Swimming
### Men

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Mathieu Fonteyn | 200 m butterfly | 1:56.65 NR | 19 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Yoris Grandjean | 50 m freestyle | 22.45 NR | 28 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Yoris Grandjean | 100 m freestyle | 48.82 NR | 19 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| François Heersbrandt | 100 m butterfly | 53.33 | 37 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Brian Ryckeman | 10 km open water | — | — | — | — | 1:52.10 | 7 |
| Glenn Surgeloose | 200 m freestyle | 1:48.92 NR | 30 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Tom Vangeneugden | 1500 m freestyle | 15:11.04 NR | 20 | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Elise Matthysen | 100 m breaststroke | 1:08.37 NR | 16 Q | 1:09.00 | 13 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Elise Matthysen | 200 m breaststroke | 2:27.04 NR | 15 Q | 2:29.64 | 16 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Table tennis

| Athlete | Event | Preliminary round | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Jean-Michel Saive | Men's singles | Bye | Bye | Toriola (NGR) L 2–4 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Tennis
### Men

| Athlete | Event | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank |
| Steve Darcis | Men's singles | Massú (CHI) L 4–6, 5–7 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Olivier Rochus | Men's singles | Minář (CZE) W 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 | Tipsarević (SRB) W 7–6$^{(7–5)}$, 2–3$^r$ | González (CHI) L 0–6, 3–6 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Steve Darcis Olivier Rochus | Men's doubles | — | Cañas / Nalbandian (ARG) W 6–7$^{(6–8)}$, 7–6$^{(7–5)}$, 6–3 | Andreev / Davydenko (RUS) L 6–7$^{(6–8)}$, 2–6 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Triathlon

| Athlete | Event | Swim (1.5 km) | Trans 1 | Bike (40 km) | Trans 2 | Run (10 km) | Total Time | Rank |
| Peter Croes | Men's | 18:26 | 0:26 | 58:51 | 0:32 | 33:25 | 1:51:40.94 | 27 |
| Axel Zeebroek | Men's | 18:30 | 0:27 | 57:48 | 0:30 | 33:15 | 1:50:30.90 | 13 |

## Volleyball

| Athlete | Event | Preliminary round | Standing | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Score | Standing | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank |
| Liesbeth Mouha Liesbet van Breedam | Women's | Pool A Maaseide – Glesnes (NOR) L 0 – 2 (22–24, 18–21) Tian J – Wang J (CHN) L 1 – 2 (21–18, 19–21, 13–15) Kuhn – Schwer (SUI) W 2 – 0 (21–18, 21–17) Lucky Losers Saka – Rtvelo (GEO) W 2 – 0 (21–13, 21–19) | 3 Q | May-Treanor – Walsh (USA) L 0 – 2 (22–24, 10–21) | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Weightlifting

| Athlete | Event | Snatch | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Clean & Jerk | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Total | Rank |
| Tom Goegebuer | Men's −56 kg | 114 | 12 | 137 | 13 | 251 | 13 |