He is Belgium's most successful athlete at the Summer Paralympics, having won seven gold medals in athletics between 1980 and 1988. In his first Paralympics in 1980, he was a gold medallist in the 4 × 100 m relay (category 2–5) and the category 3 slalom. Two further golds followed in 1984, this time in the 400 m 1500 m. He was also the silver medallist in the 100 m and 200 m sprint events, as well as taking a bronze in the category 3 slalom. Van Winkel medalled in all the events he entered in 1988: he was first in the 400 m, 800 m and 5000 m wheelchair races, and was the runner-up in the 200 m and the 1500 m. In his fourth and final Paralympic Games in 1992, he came close to further medals with a fourth place in the 800 m and fifth in the 200 m. He did not make the 400 m final and failed to finish in the 5000 m, making his last appearance one without medals.