Grand Place reception for Belgian Olympic medal winners next week

Brussels mayor Philippe Close is planning a special ceremony for Belgium’s Olympic medalists on the Grand Place on Monday 12 August.

Belgian athletes have won two gold medals and three bronze so far in the 2024 Summer Olympics being held in Paris, which will come to an end on 11 August.

Cyclist Remco Evenepoel holds both gold medals, one for the men's individual time trial and the other for the men's road race.

“What a phenomenon!” Close said in a congratulatory social media post.

Cyclist Wout van Aert took home a bronze medal for Belgium in the men's individual time trial, cyclist Lotte Kopecky managed a bronze medal in the women's road race and Gabriella Willems won a bronze in the women’s judo 70kg.

The Grand Place has been used before to celebrate Belgian sports heroes: a similar ceremony for Olympians was held after the 2021 Tokyo Games and European basketball champions the Belgian Cats were honoured there last year.

Remco Evenepoel was a guest there in 2022 after he became world road champion in Australia's Wollongong.

At just 24 years old, he’s the third Belgian to be crowned Olympic champion after André Noyelle in 1952 and Greg Van Avermaet in 2016 in Rio.

Legendary Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx, considered to be the greatest cyclist in history, had high praise for the young athlete, calling him “stronger than me” and saying that “what he achieved was exceptional” and a “simply historic performance”.

“I don't see what could prevent him from doing the double at the world championships in Zürich (21-29 September) on a course that suits him,” the 79-year-old retired athlete said.

“If he's in the form he's in today, even Tadej Pogacar will have trouble beating him.”

The Royal Palace also reacted to Evenepoel's incredible cycling performance.

“He did it,” the royal family said in an announcement.

“Remco Evenepoel is making Olympic history by winning a second gold medal in the road race, after his Olympic title in the time trial! It's the first time since 1920 that a Belgian has won a double at the Olympic Games.”

Photo: Dirk Waem/Belga