Reflections on Day 1 OBC 2026
With the Belgian Open Championships just around the corner, the absolute highlight of the Belgian swimming season is upon us. This weekend, the country’s best swimmers are gathering at the Wezenberg in Antwerp. Day 1 brought us 14 new Belgian champions, 4 European Championship qualifying times and 1 Belgian record.
Women’s 1500m freestyle:
Alisée Pisane was absent from the opening event of the Open Belgian Championships. The national record holder had to withdraw at the last minute due to fatigue. In her absence, Georgia’s Anna Kalandadze turned it into a long solo race, whilst Sioban Decraene secured the first Belgian title of the weekend. It wasn’t a walk in the park, as Célya Paques kept pushing throughout the race. Her twin sister Typhanie finished 3rd in Belgium.
Podium:
1. Anna Kalandadze (GEO) / Sioban Decraine (AQUABLA)
2. Célya Paques (LGN)
3. Typhanie Paques (LGN)
Men’s 100m butterfly:
For the first title in the men’s event, we have a duel between Daniel Laureyssens and Bere Waerniers. The former gets off to the best start, but is then caught up by Bere. At the turn, Daniel pulls away again underwater and this time Bere is unable to close the gap. A fine personal best for both men, but Bere falls just over half a second short of adding this event to his European Junior Championships programme. Max Oldham from Australia takes 3rd place, with Hugo Vandamme finishing as the 3rd Belgian.
Podium:
1. Daniel Laureyssens (ZS)
2. Bere Waerniers (TZT)
3. Max Oldham (AUS) / Hugo Vandamme (DM)
Women’s 100m butterfly:
Time for Roos Vanotterdijk to begin her championship. As usual, she takes control of the race from the start on her way to the Belgian title. The silver medallist from the most recent World Championships remains a second above her own Belgian record, but still convincingly dips below the qualifying time for the European Championships in Paris. Her first qualifying time for these European Championships. Ana Nizharadze from Georgia and Evy Rozeboom came closest to her, with Pauline Zeller and Elina Van De Cloot completing the Belgian podium.
Podium:
1. Roos Vanotterdijk (DMB)
2. Ana Nizharadze (GEO) / Pauline Zeller (NOC)
3. Evy Rozeboom (NED) / Eline Van De Cloot (AZV)
Men’s 200m backstroke:
When Noah Verreth takes his place behind the starting blocks, you know something is about to happen. It is an open secret that he has long been chasing Stefaan Maene’s 24-year-old Belgian record (1:59.64), and today could well be the day it finally falls. The crowd is right behind him from the start, and halfway through Noah is on course for a record. Things are still looking good at the 150m mark, but the final length proves just too much. Noah cannot maintain his pace and eventually finishes in a time of 2:01.30. In the background, Justin Lecocq takes silver in a duel with Alexander Van Hoey Billiet.
Podium:
1. Noah Verreth (MEGA)
2. Justin Lecocq (LGN)
3. Alexander Van Hoey Billiet (STW)
Women’s 400m medley:
As expected, a one-woman show by Hungary’s Eszter Szabo Feltothy. Right from the start, she shows she is head and shoulders above the rest. The Dutch swimmer Djanilla Brink finishes 2nd, but our attention turns to what is happening behind her. There, a duel is taking place between Eloïse Lhoir and Vera Vedernikova. The 16-year-olds battle it out to see who can call themselves Belgian champion. With a margin of 6(!) hundredths of a second, Eloïse takes the title. Charlotte Debecker takes home the bronze.
Podium:
1. Eszter Szabo Feltothy (HUN) / Eloïse Lhoir (AQUABLA)
2. Djanilla Brink (NED) / Vera Vedernikova (SCWR)
3. Charlotte Debecker (DMI)
Men’s 100m breaststroke:
This was considered one of the most exciting finals of the entire weekend. Not for the overall victory, but for the Belgian title. Caspar Corbeau – who finished 4th in this event at the last World Championships – took the lead right from the start, but Noah De Schryver, Lukas Baeten and Bartel Vranken were locked in a battle amongst themselves. Noah was the first to drop back, allowing Lukas and Bartel to turn it into a two-horse race. In the end, it was Lukas who narrowly held off Bartel to claim the Belgian title.
Podium:
1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) / Lukas Baeten (LAQUA)
2. Bartel Vranken (DMB)
3. Noah De Schryver (ZNA)
Women’s 50m breaststroke:
Florine Gaspard had already shown she was in form during the heats. She improved her Belgian record by 7 hundredths (30.37) and also confirmed the European Championship qualifying time she had swum earlier this year. Expectations are therefore high for this final. And she more than lives up to them. With a blistering time of 30.26, she performs even better than this morning. Siel Verstrepen and Lies Gobert are the privileged witnesses to this new Belgian record. They join her on the podium in second and third place.
Podium:
1. Florine Gaspard (CNB)
2. Siel Verstrepen (DBT)
3. Lies Gobert (MEGA)
Men’s 400m freestyle:
For the first time in a year, we see Lucas Henveaux shine in Belgium. He is relaxed at the start, having already secured his European Championship qualification for this event in Westmond. Without having to push himself to the absolute limit, he holds off the rest of the field on his way to the Belgian title. The Dutch swimmer Tiago Fonseca Gomes touches the wall in 2nd place, ahead of Simon Laviolette. The latter is unable to match his personal best and thus misses out on the European Junior Championships qualification by 11 hundredths of a second.
Podium:
1. Lucas Henveaux (LGN)
2. Tiago Fonseca Gomes (NED) / Simon Laviolette (SCR)
3. Ries Joos (MEGA)
Women’s 200m freestyle:
Not once, but twice, fireworks at Antwerp’s Wezenberg! Alongside Sarah Dumont – who had already secured her ticket to the European Championships – Siri Vanderlinden will also be heading to Paris. Both women spurred each other on to improve their personal bests, and for Sarah, her older sister Valentine’s Belgian record (1:57.18) is now within sight. Lana Ravelingien joins the duo on the podium.
Podium:
1. Sarah Dumont (NOC)
2. Siri Vanderlinden (LAQUA)
3. Lana Ravelingien (BRABO)
Men’s 50m freestyle:
Frustration for Vincent Van Hooydonck. At the Flanders Swimming Cup, he missed out on the European Championships by just 0.01 seconds, and he has failed to qualify again today. Visibly disappointed, he leaves the water immediately after finishing. Leon Baeye, however, has every reason to celebrate. He had already qualified for the European Junior Championships this morning and has now confirmed the qualifying time once more.
Podium:
1. Kenzo Simons (NED) / Vincent Van Hooydonck (BRABO)
2. Leon Baeye (MEGA)
3. Perry Laarhoven (NED) / Seppe Lammens (BRABO)
Women’s 50m backstroke:
The lowest step of the podium will remain empty on this occasion, as Noor Broeckaert and Fleur Bussels share second place. They both take exactly 29.50 seconds to complete a length on their backs. The one who is just a touch quicker than them is Laure Durez. Her time of 29.22 is enough to secure the Belgian title. The Dutch swimmer Jint Engelse squeezes in between our compatriots on the podium.
Podium:
1. Laure Durez (ENLN)
2. Jint Engelse (NED) / Noor Broeckaert (BRABO) / Fleur Bussels (DMB)
4x100m mixed medley:
LAQUA dominated the first relay of the weekend. It proved itself to be the most versatile club in the mixed medley by leaving BRABO and MEGA behind.
Podium:
1. LGN
2. MEGA
3. LAQUA
Men’s 4x200m freestyle:
The next relay is right up LGN’s street. With Lucas Henveaux as the opening swimmer, the club from Liège immediately opens up an unbridgeable gap over the rest of the field. MEGA ultimately comes closest, whilst Leuven takes the bronze.
Podium:
1. LGN
2. MEGA
3. LAQUA
Women’s 4x200m freestyle:
We round off the first day of finals with the women’s event. BRABO wasted no time and gave the competition no chance right from the start. LGN took silver by a comfortable margin, whilst Torhout claimed the final podium spot of the day.
Podium:
1. BRABO
2. LGN
3. TZT
This report was made possible by Swimnation!