At the European Championships in Poland, Belgium’s Jolien Boumkwo, a shot putter and hammer thrower, demonstrated what it truly means to be a team player by competing in the 100-meter hurdles to keep her team in the competition.
Boumkwo ran the second heat of the hurdles competition in a cheerful manner after runners Anne Zagre and Hanne Claes were unable to compete due to injuries.
Boumkwo continued to compete despite being surrounded by hurdlers. She started running and carefully jumped over each obstacle, avoiding hitting any to avoid deductions. She got done with a period of 32.81 seconds, 19 seconds after second-to-last finisher Maja Maunsbach of Sweden.
What motivated Jolien Boumkwo to compete in the 100-meter hurdles?
Boumkwo’s performance in the race saved her team from defeat.
The nation would have been disqualified if there had been no Belgian athlete competing in the race. Instead, Belgium gained two points in the standings of the First Division thanks to Boumkwo’s run.
According to Fox Sports, Boumkwo stated that “my team is the most important thing for me.”
On social media, Boumkwo was hailed as a hero for her inspiring effort and for taking a stand for the team.
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