Latest news with #TeamBelgium
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Belgian gold medalist Nina Derwael retires from gymnastics
Nina Derwael of Belgium was a two-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist in the uneven bars. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI July 15 (UPI) -- Belgian gymnast and newlywed Nina Derwael, who won gold in the uneven bars at the 2020 Summer Olympics, is retiring from the sport, she announced Tuesday on social media. "Thank you gymnastics, it's been my pleasure," Derwael wrote on Facebook, Instagram and X. Advertisement Derwael, 25, first represented Belgium at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She also competed in 2024. In addition to her gold medal performance in the uneven bars, she also helped lead Belgium to its first-ever team final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, which took place in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Belgians finished eighth. The Russian Olympic Committee, Team USA and Great Britain took the podium in that event. "To be the greatest in a sport where the whole world spins in pursuit of perfection, you built a legacy that will last forever," Team Belgium said in a statement. Nina Derwael helped Belgium reach its first-even gymnastics team final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI "You led Belgium to its first-ever Olympic team final. You were the first Belgian gymnast to step onto the podium at the European Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games. 'The Derwael' will be etched forever into the history of gymnastics. We've had the privilege to watch you fly, twist, and turn to all these golden moments. Advertisement "Thank you, Nina! We will miss you, that's for sure." Gymnast Nina Derwael represented Belgium at the Olympics three times. File Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI Silver medalist Anastasiia Iliankova (L), gold medalist Nina Derwael (C) and bronze medalist Sunisa Lee took the podium in the uneven bars at the 2020 Summer Olympics in 2021 in Tokyo. File Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI Derwael was a two-time gold medalist and two-time bronze medalist in the uneven bars at the World Championships. She won four gold medals at the European Championships, including three in the uneven bars and one on balance beam. She also won a silver medal on beam at the 2018 European Championships and the gold on beam and bars in May at the 2025 European Championships. Derwael also announced that she was married Saturday in Averbode, Belgium.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA Player Gets Sad News Shortly After Long Flight
The Golden State Valkyries are in their inaugural WNBA season and have a 9-7 record entering the month of July. It has been a good start for Golden State, and the Valkyries sit just one game back of the Seattle Storm for third place in the Western Conference. Advertisement The Valkyrie had been playing without Julie Vanloo for the past few weeks as she was participating in the EuroBasket tournament with Team Belgium and helped lead them to the EuroBasket title. Vanloo last played for Golden State on June 9 before going to Europe, and she returned to the Bay Area ready to play for the Valkyries again. Except, that isn't going to be the case. Vanloo was cut on Monday by the Valkyries. Rightfully so, Vanloo was heartbroken and posted on her Instagram story. "Literally just touched down in the bay. I need some time to process all of this man and put my feels into words. I can't right now," she wrote with multiple broken heart emojis. Advertisement Vanloo even left the Team Belgium celebration early to report to Golden State and traveled 18 hours just to find out she had been cut. Vanloo spent the 2024 season with the Washington Mystics before being selected by the Valkyries in the WNBA Expansion Draft. Now, she wins a EuroBasket title, flies to California and gets cut in a brutal twist as she will try and find a new WNBA team. Related: Popular American Drink Sells Out Just Minutes After New Release WNBA Player Gets Sad News Shortly After Long Flight first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 1, 2025
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA Coach Breaks Silence After Cutting Player Following 18-Hour Flight
The Golden State Valkyries are in their inaugural season in the WNBA and have gotten off to a decent start. But the Valkyries caught some negative attention this week. On Monday, the team decided to cut Julie Vanloo. The former Washington Mystics player was playing for Team Belgium in the EuroBasket tournament and helped lead them to a title. Advertisement Vanloo then decided to skip the Team Belgium celebration and take a long flight from Europe to the Bay Area to rejoin the team. Unfortunately, the Valkyries cut her right after she arrived in a gut-wrenching move. Vanloo then took to Instagram with a lengthy post that showed her true feelings on the decision. On Wednesday, Valkyries head coach Natalia Nakase spoke about that move and had a surprising take. 'From my perspective, I would say that was respectful because whenever a situation like that happens, you bring them in and, as an adult, you say things face to face,' Nakase said. 'I think that was out of respect.' It's quite the take from the head coach. Advertisement Is it justified? Perhaps. But, it's also noteworthy that Vanloo left the Team Belgium celebration early to fly all the way to join the team and probably did not get much time to re-acclimate to the environment before being cut. She had appeared in nine games for Golden State before going to Europe and playing for Belgium, so this was certainly a surprising decision, especially with the way things unfolded. All in all, it isn't the best look for Golden State, and Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin did not address the media on Wednesday. Related: WNBA Player Gets Sad News Shortly After Long Flight WNBA Coach Breaks Silence After Cutting Player Following 18-Hour Flight first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 3, 2025
