Félix Denayer

{{Infobox field hockey player

| name = Félix Denayer

| image =

| full_name = Félix Veronique Denayer

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|1|31|df=y}}

| birth_place = Edegem, Belgium

| height = 1.90 m

| weight = 85 kg

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Dragons

| years1 = 2007–present

| clubs1 = Dragons

| nationalyears1 = 2008–2024

| nationalteam1 = Belgium

| nationalcaps1 = 402

| nationalgoals1 = 48

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{BEL}}}}

}}

Félix Veronique Denayer (born 31 January 1990) is a Belgian professional field hockey player{{Cite web |url=http://www.olympic.be/Spelen/OlympischeSpelen/Peking2008/Belgiandelegation/tabid/198/language/fr-FR/Default.aspx |title=Pékin 2008 > Délégation belge |trans-title=Beijing 2008 > Belgian delegation |website=olympic.be |language=fr |access-date=1 August 2012 |archive-date=15 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815174432/http://www.olympic.be/Spelen/OlympischeSpelen/Peking2008/Belgiandelegation/tabid/198/language/fr-FR/Default.aspx |url-status=dead}}{{Cite Sports-Reference |url=http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/de/felix-denayer-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418061947/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/de/felix-denayer-1.html |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Felix Denayer |access-date=17 February 2019}} who plays as a midfielder for Dragons and the Belgium national team. He played 402 matches for the Belgium national team from 2008 until 2024.

Denayer combines his sport with studies at the University of Antwerp.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ua.ac.be/onlmag/magazine4/files/assets/basic-html/page23.html |title=Interview in University Magazine |website=ua.ac.be |access-date=28 January 2013 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002445/http://www.ua.ac.be/onlmag/magazine4/files/assets/basic-html/page23.html |url-status=dead |quote=Jeffrey Thys and Félix Denayer, two students of Applied Economics who both play for the national hockey team, the Red Lions, will be travelling to the Olympics in London this summer}}

International career

Denayer competed for the national team at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, winning a silver medal at the Rio Olympics.{{refn|name=OlympicBotGeneratedRef|{{cite web |title=Felix Denayer |url=http://www.london2012.com/athlete/denayer-felix-1129249/ |website=London2012.com |publisher=The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited |access-date=17 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120731051241/http://www.london2012.com/athlete/denayer-felix-1129249/ |archive-date=31 July 2012}}}} With Belgium he won the silver medal at the 2013 European Championship on home ground in Boom, and again at the 2017 European Championships in Amsterdam. He also tasted World Cup success with Belgium in 2018. In 2019, he was a part of the squad which won Belgium its first European title.{{cite web |title=Goud in eigen land! De Red Lions winnen na het WK nu ook het EK |trans-title=Gold in their own country! After the World Cup, the Red Lions now also win the European Championship |url=https://sporza.be/nl/matches/hockey/2019-08/mf-ek-hockey-finale-mannen-belgie-spanje/ |website=sporza.be |publisher=Sporza |language=nl |date=26 August 2019 |access-date=25 August 2019}} On 25 May 2021, he was selected in the squad for the 2021 EuroHockey Championship.{{cite web |title=Selectie Red Panthers en Red Lions voor het Europees Kampioenschap aangekondigd |trans-title=Red Panthers and Red Lions selection for European Championship announced |url=https://hockey.be/nl/selectie-red-panthers-en-red-lions-voor-het-europees-kampioenschap-aangekondigd/ |website=hockey.be |language=nl |date=25 May 2021 |access-date=25 May 2021}} He was the captain of the Belgian team which won the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |last1=Thys |first1=Werner |title=Een koning, zijn prins en de muur: dit zijn onze 18 gouden hockeyhelden |trans-title=A king, his prince and the wall: these are our 18 golden hockey heroes |url=https://www.demorgen.be/sport/een-koning-zijn-prins-en-de-muur-dit-zijn-onze-18-gouden-hockeyhelden~b67d9902/ |website=demorgen.be |language=nl |publisher=De Morgen |date=5 August 2021 |access-date=31 August 2021}} In August 2024 he announced after the quarterfinal loss in the 2024 Summer Olympics against Spain would be his last match with the national team.{{cite web |title=Red Lions : les arrêts, les incertitudes |trans-title=Red Lions: the stops, the uncertainties |url=https://okey.lalibre.be/red-lions-les-arrets-les-incertitudes/ |website=okey.lalibre.be |language=fr |date=5 August 2024 |access-date=5 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=JO 2024 – Hockey : au moins cinq champions olympiques de Tokyo partent à la retraite après la désillusion contre l'Espagne |trans-title=2024 Olympics – Hockey: At least five Tokyo Olympic champions retire after disappointment against Spain |url=https://www.lalibre.be/sports/omnisports/jeux-olympiques/2024/08/04/jo-2024-hockey-au-moins-cinq-champions-olympiques-de-tokyo-partent-a-la-retraite-apres-la-desillusion-contre-lespagne-QMZ64XKFYFFM3JZEG4FHN6INL4/ |website=lalibre.be |publisher=La Libre |language=fr |date=4 August 2024 |access-date=4 August 2024}}

Honours

=International=

Belgium

=Club=

Dragons

Belgian Hockey League: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21

References

External links

{{International Hockey Federation|602}}
{{European Hockey Federation|2777}}
{{Team Belgium}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{Olympics.com}}
[https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/felix-denayer_1903214 Félix Denayer] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
{{Instagram}}

{{succession box

| before = Olivia Borlée

| title = Flagbearer for {{BEL}}

| years = (with Nafissatou Thiam)
Tokyo 2020

| after = Incumbent

}}

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