This Sunday, the Gentse Topsporthal will host the much-anticipated Belgian Junior and U16/U18 Athletics Championships, providing young athletes with the opportunity to showcase their talent on the national stage. Among the standout competitors is 18-year-old Camille Sonneville, representing KAAG, who is set to compete in both the 60 meters flat and the 60 meters hurdles, events where she leads the national rankings.
Sonneville's winter season has been remarkable so far, with her performance on the track eliciting excitement among fans and coaches. "I enjoy both events equally, so I'm certainly not ready to specialize just yet," she shared, highlighting her passion for sprinting. This attitude has brought her to significant milestones, including recording a personal best of 7.49 seconds on the 60 meters, placing her fifth on the all-time national rankings. "Of course, there was the standout moment on the 60 meters where I clocked 7.49 seconds, but I’m just as thrilled to consistently perform under 7.60 seconds throughout the season," Sonneville remarked.
Despite her recent success, Sonneville faced challenges leading up to the championships. She encountered illness the week before the BK event, which limited her performance, allowing her to secure only sixth place with a time of 7.59 seconds. "I hope to improve on all fronts this Sunday," she expressed optimistically.
This season, Sonneville has also completed her humaniora studies and is now pursuing education at the Ghent University of Applied Sciences and Arts, specializing in Nutrition and Dietetics. "I can utilize a top athlete status to spread my studies, but I've already exhausted all my credits. I genuinely enjoy it, and I'm managing my studies alongside sports quite well. I actually did well during my last exams," she said, demonstrating her ability to balance her commitments.
Under the guidance of her coach, Tom Du Pan, Sonneville has not only excelled domestically but has also accumulated valuable international experience. She recalls participating in the European Championships three years ago, as well as the EYOF held in Slovakia and carrying the Belgian flag during the Youth Games in Slovenia. "I have kept beautiful memories of all those events. International competitions are much more exciting; we have to wait much longer than at home, but I’ve learned so much from those experiences," she reminisced.
Looking to the future, the European Junior Championships will be held this summer in Tampere, Finland. cependant, Sonneville is focused on the present rather than such distant goals. "I’m not stressing about the European Championships just yet. It remains to be seen what the specific minimums will be. I’m assuming I will make progress; the rest will take care of itself. This summer I’ll also be trying my hand at the 200 meters, which is the longest distance for me. Last month, I participated with the KAAG team at the BK relay 4x200 meters, and we finished fourth," she explained.
For Sonneville, this championship Sunday is likely to mark the conclusion of her season, though she is considering participation in the student championships the following week. She emphasizes her commitment to achieve strong personal records, aiming for excellent performances, particularly on the hurdles where her best stands at 8.55 seconds. "We’ll certainly do our best to make it beautiful," she concluded.
On another note, celebrations are due for Elena Walraet who stood out as the only athlete from West Flanders at the Flemish Championship, winning gold with an impressive time of 7.77 seconds on the 60 meters and securing silver with 8.70 seconds on the 60 meters hurdles. This achievement underlines the potential and skill present within Belgium’s young athletic community.
Overall, the upcoming championships hold great promise, not just for Sonneville and Walraet but for all participants eager to demonstrate their hard work and dedication. The atmosphere is set to be electrifying, as these young talents compete for honors and hopefully inspire one another for years to come.