New sprint hall inaugurated in Ostend

The 400-meter outdoor athletics track was already given a new top layer in 2020. Not much later, the city of Ostend started the construction of the new indoor hall in collaboration with client Farys. Thanks to the spurt zone of 60 meters, sprinters and hurdlers can still complete their training sessions in bad weather in the best conditions. In addition, a long jump and a high jump zone are also provided.

The times on both slopes can be registered in the room on the top floor. The Flemish government invested 340,000 euros in the project. According to Minister of Sport Ben Weyts (N-VA), Ostend now has the only covered athletics track in West Flanders. “We are ambitious and want to raise the bar both at the top and at the bottom,” he said.

Ships of Sport Bart Plasschaert (CD&V), father of world sailing champion Emma Plasschaert, pointed out the full promising athletes from Ostend. In addition to hurdler Michael Obasuyi, there is also Helena Ponette, a brand new member of the Belgian Cheetahs. “A number of Ostend athletes will certainly be present at the Olympic Games in Paris.” For Mayor Bart Tommelein (Open VLD), the new accommodation is an important part of the varied sports offer in his city.

The clubhouse of the Jozef Verhelle Stadium, home of athletics club Hermes, will therefore also receive a major makeover in 2024. There will be new changing rooms and a new fitness room. The thorough renovation of the building from the 1950s will take about a year