Belgium’s Jolien Boumkwo is the ultimate team player with a sense of humor.
The European shot putter was forced to step in for the 100-meter hurdles competition after teammates Anne Zagre and Hanne Claes couldn’t compete due to injury.
Boumkwo, 29, chuckled as she stepped up to the starting line, towering over her competitors.
The runners took off as the Boumkwo moved into a light jog as she carefully cleared each hurdle, not hitting a single one to avoid penalties.
“I couldn’t let it happen to lose by one point,” Boumkwo said according to Fox Sports. “That’s why I considered taking park in the 100m hurdles. There was no risk for me if I took it calmly.
The Belgium team was able to stay in the competition thanks to Boumkwo’s heroics
My team is the most important thing to me,” she said
She wound up in last place, of course, finishing with a time of 32.81 seconds, a full 19 seconds behind the second-to-last place finisher Maja Maunsbach of Sweden.
Italy would go on to win the European team national championships, but Belgium didn’t enjoy the same type of success.
They will be relegated to Division Two along with Norway and Turkey.
Although, Boumkwo stepping in and at least placing in the 100-meter hurdles helped Belgium avoid being disqualified altogether.
She was lauded with praise in the track and field community and on social media for her unselfish act.
