The 19-year-old Leendert Desmet (affiliated with KSKD Brugge and Thor zwemclub uit Torhout) living in Veldegem made his entry in November 2023 at the WK in Buenos Aires. In the Spring of 2023, he was noticed by our ex-swimmer & champion Koen Adriaenssens, who is still active in the swimmingworld of Belgium. We made contact with hem and his family. Thanks to his entourage and the support of both his family and his swimming club, Thor Torhout he was able to participate in the WC swimming. There he succeede to grab the bronze medal on the 800 m Freestyle and a 7th place in the 400 m Freestyle.
In the meantime, he confirmed his good form curve in the years 2024 and 2025 at the Belgian Championships with various medals and also at other competitions.
His best swimming style is the free stroke on long distances. Their swimming competitions will be held all door in the Tokyo Aquatics Center, precisely in the same pool as at the Olympic Games Tokyo in 2022. Leendert will participate in the following swimming disciplines (see also further in the program - Leendert's best times can be found in brackets):
In the meantime, he confirmed his good form curve in the years 2024 and 2025 at the Belgian Championships with various medals and also at other competitions.
His best swimming style is the free stroke on long distances. Their swimming competitions will be held all door in the Tokyo Aquatics Center, precisely in the same pool as at the Olympic Games Tokyo in 2022. Leendert will participate in the following swimming disciplines (see also further in the program - Leendert's best times can be found in brackets):
- 200 m freestyle (1:59.98)
- 400 m freestyle (4:11.24)
- 800 m freestyle (8:43.09)
- 1,500 m freestyle (16:15.99)
- 400 m medley (4:47.01)
The following athletes are the main competitors:
- Rafal Wojcik (POL)
- Federico Tamborrino (ITA)
- Syler Pizzolato (USA)
- Jakub Kramarczyk (POL)
- Niklas Mueller (GER)
- Danylo Litvin (UKR)
Leendert is coached by her expert club trainer Renée De Cramer (Thor Swimming Club Torhout) and Carl Desmet, his father, who will certainly be a huge support to Leendert, especially mentally.
Program
- ·20 November : 400 m freestyle at 10.20 (Qualifications) - 17.40 (Finals)
- 21 November : 200 m freestyle at 10.10 (Qualifications) - 17.10 (Finals)
- 22 November : 800 m freestyle at 10.50 (Qualifications)
- 23 November : 400 m medley at 10.30 (Qualifications) - 17.50 (Finals)
- + 800 m freestyle at 18.30 (Finals)
- 24 November : 1.500 m freestyle at 10.50 (Qualifications)
- 25 November : 1.500 m freestyle at 18.30 (Finals)
Worldrecords
- 200 m freestyle (1:52.55) from Guilherme Kabbach - Brazil
- 400 m freestyle (3:53.42) from Jeffrey Float - USA
- 800 m freestyle (8:17.56) from Satoi Fujihara - Japan
- 1.500 m freestyle (15:37.64) from Satoi Fujihara - Japan
- 400 m medley ( 4:16.92) from Terence Parkin - South Afrika
