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Hockey
My dream as a kid was to make the national field hockey team in Belgium. But at 18y/o it was clear that I did not have the talent to make it. instead of ending up in an amateur team, I decided to continue competitive sports by switching to running and training for marathons.
The beginning & party lifestyle
The start was a mix of training 4-5 times per week, and partying almost every day at college/university. I woke up with a hangover, did not go to class, and went running in the evening when my body allowed me to run, before partying again.
Getting sober and hard defeats
In 2020, at 22 y/o, I decided to go sober and chase more amitious goals in running. I quickly progressed to one of the best runners in Belgium. However, during every major championships (European, World, ...), I got painfully dropped in the heats and never made the final.
Redemption... and the Olympic dream
When graduating in 2022, I decided to try and make the Olympics in the 5000m. My personal best at the time was 13min42sec, still very far from Olympic level.
In order to become world-class, I had to surround myself with world-class people (runners, physios, and coaches). So I went on training camp all over the world and studied the science behind nutrition, running, recovery, and more. I compounded a massive expertise.
Dreams come true
With the help of an AI computer code, I chose the right races and managed to qualify for Paris 2024. Together with my trainer and physio, we also hammered my speed development. I was so uncertain on whether I would ever reach the level of an Olympic final (the best 16 out of 42 athletes).
August 7 2024 was a magical day. Somehow, against all expectations, I finished 3rd in my 5000m heat and qualified for the Olympic final. I finished 11th at the Olympics,which is a result that nobody expected me to run. It was like a fairytake. A dream come true!
Running for me is a source of happiness and a life school. I also get very excited about the ever-evolving science around running gear, our physiology and other facets of athletics.
Quick facts
Running 3000m & cross-country during the winter, and 5000m during the summer.
Turned pro after graduating as a bio-engineer in 2022. Since then, my home changed from a desk to altitude camps.
My weekly mileage around 145km.
I don't eat red meat. Main motive is to perform at a higher level and enhance my daily recovery from training.
Medical technology & digital health enthusiast! I have a nerdy passion especially for the field of biosensors and their application in sports. A great example is the Supersapiens continuous glucose meter.
Former hockey player. Played hockey my whole life, but lacked the talent to enter the national team. When I enrolled at university, I made the transition to running.
Palmares and journey towards the Olympic Games
Coming soon ...
Get in touch
If you have any question, request or information you'd like to share with me, please shoot !
1. Instagram : @heymans.john
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