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Stijn Desmet

Belgium

SportShort Track
FederationIDSTBEL11004199801
NOCBelgium
Born10 Apr 1998 in Duffel 
GenderMen
ResidenceMechelen, BEL
OccupationAthlete, Student
LanguagesDutch, English, French
Higher educationIndustrial Engineering - University of Hasselt: Belgium
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 40.309 02 Nov 2019 Salt Lake City, UT  
    1000m 1:24.239 08 Dec 2018 Almaty  
    1500m 2:11.169 09 Feb 2022 Beijing  
    3000m 4:46.510 13 Jan 2019 Dordrecht  
Main Achievements
 
Main Achievements
World Championships
Event  
World Championships
    500m     1  
    1000m   1    
    1500m     1  
European Championships
Event  
European Championships
    1000m 1      
    1500m   1    
    2000m Relay   1    
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/stijn.desmet.50  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachIngmar van Riel [national]  
When and where did you begin this sport?He took up short track in 2008 with the Ice Racing Team Antarctica club in Wilrijk, Belgium.  
Club / TeamIce Diamonds Antwerp [IDA]: Belgium  
Reason for choosing this sportHe got involved in the sport to help with his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD].  
General Interest
General Interest
Most influential person in careerHis older sister Hanne, his mother, and Belgian short track skater Gert-Jan Goeminne. (Athlete, 05 Dec 2019, 04 Nov 2018)  
Hero / IdolBelgian footballer Michy Batshuayi. (Athlete, 04 Nov 2018)  
Famous relativesHis older sister Hanne has represented Belgium in short track, and won bronze in the women's 1000m at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (SportsDeskOnline, 08 Nov 2022; gva.be, 22 Feb 2022; wilrijk.n-va.be, 25 Feb 2016)  
Awards and honoursHe received the 2015 Trophy for Promising Youngsters in Wilrijk, Belgium. (wilrijk.n-va.be, 25 Feb 2016)  
Sporting philosophy / motto"No fun, no glory." (Athlete, 08 Nov 2017)  
InjuriesIn September 2021 he suffered a leg injury after he was involved in a crash with Dutch short track skater Bram Steenaart during a training session in Courmayeur, Italy. (proximus.be, 04 Sep 2021)

He struggled with a knee injury in 2020. (kbsf.be, 22 Oct 2020)

In August 2019 he suffered a broken wrist during a strength training exercise. The injury was initially suspected to be a sprain, so he competed with a broken wrist for four months before undergoing surgery in December 2019. He returned to training one week later. (nieuwsblad.be, 23 Jan 2020; schaatsen.nl, 15 Dec 2019)		  
Other informationTRAINING IN THE NETHERLANDS
In 2018 he and his sister Hanne were offered the opportunity to train in Heerenveen, Netherlands, alongside the Dutch national team and coach Jeroen Otter. "Of course, we were immediately enthusiastic about it, we really wanted to. We also went to live in Heerenveen, and we were received very well and have enjoyed everything we are offered there. These 18 months with the Dutch [speaking in 2020] have put me in a perfect position to evolve to the highest level." (skatenl.nl, 07 Mar 2020)

FURTHER EDUCATION
He has studied for a master's degree in industrial engineering at KU Leuven in Belgium. "When I graduate and go skating even further, I definitely still want to continue studying. I think it's better than combining a job and elite sport." (kuleuven.be, 03 Feb 2022)		  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2022/2023 European Championships 1000m1  
    2022/2023 European Championships 1500m2  
    2022/2023 European Championships 2000m Relay2  
    2022/2023 World Championships 1000m2  
    2021/2022 World Championships 1500m3  
    2021/2022 World Championships 500m3  
    2021/2022 World Championships Overall4  
    2021/2022 World Championships 1000m4  
    2022/2023 World Championships 2000m Relay4  
    2019/2020 European Championships 1500m4  
    2018/2019 European Championships 500m5  
    2022/2023 European Championships 5000m Relay5  
    2021/2022 World Championships 5000m Relay5  
    2020/2021 World Championships 500m5  
    2019/2020 European Championships Overall5  
    2019/2020 European Championships 500m5  
    2020/2021 European Championships 5000m Relay5  
    2018/2019 European Championships 5000m Relay6  
    2015/2016 European Championships 5000m Relay7  
    2015/2016 World Junior Championships 3000m Relay7  
    2020/2021 World Championships 1000m7  
    2020/2021 European Championships 1500m7  
    2016/2017 European Championships 5000m Relay7  
    2017/2018 European Championships 5000m Relay8  
    2020/2021 European Championships 1000m8  
    2022/2023 World Championships 500m9  
    2022/2023 World Championships 1500m9  
    2019/2020 European Championships 1000m9  
    2020/2021 World Championships Overall9  
    2018/2019 European Championships Overall10  
    2014/2015 World Junior Championships 3000m Relay10  
    2018/2019 World Championships 500m10  
    2018/2019 World Championships 1500m10  
    2018/2019 European Championships 1500m10  
    2022/2023 World Championships 5000m Relay11  
    2020/2021 European Championships Overall12  
    2022/2023 European Championships 500m13  
    2022 Olympic Games 1500m13  
    2017/2018 European Championships 1500m13  
    2018/2019 European Championships 1000m13  
    2017/2018 World Championships 1000m14  
    2022 Olympic Games 500m14  
    2020/2021 European Championships 500m14  
    2018/2019 World Championships Overall17  
    2020/2021 World Championships 1500m17  
    2015/2016 World Junior Championships Overall18  
    2018/2019 World Championships 1000m19  
    2015/2016 European Championships Overall21  
    2017/2018 World Championships 500m22  
    2017/2018 European Championships 1000m22  
    2017/2018 European Championships Overall25  
    2016/2017 World Junior Championships Overall26  
    2017/2018 World Championships Overall31  
    2014/2015 World Junior Championships Overall32  
    2017/2018 European Championships 500m44  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2022/2023 Almaty 1500m2  
    2022/2023 Almaty 2000m Relay2  
    2022/2023 World Cup Montreal, QC 2000m Relay2  
    2019/2020 World Cup Dordrecht 500m2  
    2022/2023 Almaty 1500m2  
    2022/2023 Almaty 2000m Relay3  
    2022/2023 Almaty 500m3  
    2018/2019 Almaty 1000m4  
    2022/2023 World Cup 1500m5  
    2022/2023 Dresden 2000m Relay5  
    2019/2020 Dresden 5000m Relay5  
    2018/2019 Dresden 500m6  
    2022/2023 Almaty 500m6  
    2022/2023 Almaty 5000m Relay7  
    2016/2017 Minsk 5000m Relay7  
    2021/2022 World Cup 1500m8  
    2022/2023 Dresden 1500m8  
    2019/2020 Dresden 1500m8  
    2018/2019 Almaty 1500m9  
    2019/2020 Salt Lake City, UT 500m9  
    2016/2017 Calgary, AB 5000m Relay9  
    2016/2017 Dresden 5000m Relay9  
    2022/2023 Dresden 5000m Relay10  
    2018/2019 Calgary, AB 1500m10  
    2014/2015 Erzurum 5000m Relay10  
    2019/2020 Dresden 2000m Relay10  
    2014/2015 Dresden 5000m Relay11  
    2019/2020 World Cup 500m12  
    2022/2023 World Cup Overall12  
    2022/2023 Almaty 5000m Relay12  
    2019/2020 Shanghai 1000m12  
    2018/2019 Dresden 2000m Relay13  
    2015/2016 Dresden 5000m Relay13  
    2016/2017 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m Relay13  
    2019/2020 Shanghai 500m13  
    2018/2019 Salt Lake City, UT 500m14  
    2015/2016 Dresden 1500m16  
    2022/2023 Dresden 500m18  
    2019/2020 Salt Lake City, UT 1000m18  
    2022/2023 World Cup 500m19  
    2018/2019 Dresden 1000m19  
    2018/2019 World Cup 1500m21  
    2018/2019 World Cup 1000m21  
    2014/2015 Erzurum 1000m22  
    2016/2017 Salt Lake City, UT 1500m23  
    2018/2019 World Cup 500m26  
    2019/2020 World Cup 1000m28  
    2021/2022 World Cup 1000m28  
    2016/2017 Calgary, AB 1500m28  
    2018/2019 Calgary, AB 500m28  
    2019/2020 World Cup 1500m29  
    2014/2015 Erzurum 1500m30  
    2015/2016 Dresden 500m30  
    2018/2019 Salt Lake City, UT 1500m31  
    2016/2017 Dresden 500m32  
    2021/2022 World Cup 500m33  
    2016/2017 Dresden 1500m33  
    2016/2017 Minsk 500m35  
    2016/2017 Calgary, AB 500m35  
    2014/2015 Dresden 500m36  
    2014/2015 Dresden 1000m37  
    2016/2017 Minsk 1500m38  
    2022/2023 World Cup 1000m39  
    2017/2018 Shanghai 1000m39  
    2017/2018 Shanghai 500m44  
    2017/2018 Shanghai 1500m45  
    2016/2017 Salt Lake City, UT 1500m46  
    2017/2018 World Cup 1000m49  
    2017/2018 World Cup 1500m54  
    2015/2016 World Cup 1500m58  
    2019/2020 Dresden 500m59  
    2016/2017 World Cup 1500m70  
    2014/2015 World Cup 1000m77  
    2017/2018 World Cup 500m78  
    2015/2016 World Cup 1000m81  
    2016/2017 World Cup 500m87  
    2015/2016 World Cup 500m95  
    2014/2015 World Cup 1500m97  
    2014/2015 World Cup 500m119