Lisa Vaelen
{{Short description|Belgian artistic gymnast}}
{{Infobox gymnast
| name = Lisa Vaelen
| image = Lisa Vaelen (BEL) 2022.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Vaelen at the 2022 European Championships.
| full_name =
| altname =
| nickname =
| country = {{BEL}}
| formercountry =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|08|10|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Bonheiden, Belgium
| spouse =
| training =
| height = 159 cm{{cite web |title=Lisa Vaelen |url=https://www.gobelgym.be/nl/gymnasten/gymnasten/lisa-vaelen |website=Team BelGYM |access-date=6 July 2021}}
| weight =
| discipline = WAG
| level =
| natlteam = 2017 - present (BEL)
| club = De Gympies Keerbergen
| gym = Topsportschool Gent
| collegeteam =
| headcoach = Ulla Koch
| assistcoach =
| formercoach = Marjorie Heuls, Yves Kieffer
| choreographer =
| music =
| eponymousskills =
| retired =
| worldranking =
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry|{{BEL}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}
{{MedalBronze|2023 Antalya|Vault}}
{{MedalCompetition|FIG World Cup}}
{{MedalCount
|World Challenge Cup|0|0|2
}}
}}
Lisa Vaelen (born 10 August 2004) is a Belgian artistic gymnast. She is the 2023 European vault bronze medalist. She represented Belgium at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Junior career
= 2016-2017 =
At the 2016 Belgian Championships, Vaelen swept the gold medals on every event and in the all-around in the Junior A-12 Division.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2016 Belgian Championships Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2016/05/09/2016-belgian-championships-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=9 May 2016}} She then made her international debut at the 2016 Gymnova Cup and won the gold medal in the all-around in the Espoir division.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2016 Gymnova Cup Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2016/05/14/2016-gymnova-cup-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=14 May 2016}}
At the 2017 WOGA Classic, Vaelen finished sixth in the all-around and placed eighth with the Belgian team.{{cite web |title=2017 WOGA Classic International Elite |url=https://www.jpn-gym.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/17a_woga.pdf |website=Japanese Gymnastics Federation |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=18 February 2017}} She then competed at the Belgian Championships and won the bronze medal in the all-around.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2017 Belgian Championships Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2017/05/28/2017-belgian-championships-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=28 May 2017}} Then at the 2017 Gymnova Cup, she won the silver medal in the all-around and on vault and balance beam, and she won the bronze medal on the floor exercise.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2017 Gymnova Cup Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2017/06/04/2017-gymnova-cup-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=4 June 2017}} Her final meet of the 2017 season was the Top Gym Tournament where she placed eighth in the all-around and on vault, and she finished fifteenth on the uneven bars.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2017 Top Gym Tournament Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2017/11/29/2017-top-gym-tournament-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=29 November 2017}}
= 2018 =
Vaelen returned to the WOGA Classic, this time placing twelfth in the all-around.{{cite web |title=WOGA Classic 2018 |url=https://www.jpn-gym.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/18a_woga.pdf |website=Japanese Gymnastics Federation |access-date=20 October 2021 |pages=3 |date=17 February 2018}} She then competed at the International GymSport and won the gold medal in the all-around.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 International GymSport Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/05/15/2018-international-gymsport-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=15 May 2018}} Then at the Belgian Championships, she won the bronze medal in the all-around behind Fien Enghels and Margaux Daveloose.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 Belgian Championships Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/06/03/2018-belgian-championships-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=3 June 2018}} She competed as a guest at the Dutch Championships and won the gold medal in the all-around.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 Dutch Championships Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/06/24/2018-dutch-championships-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=24 June 2018}} She then competed at the Heerenveen Friendly where the Belgian team finished second behind the Netherlands, and Vaelen placed fifth in the all-around.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 Heerenveen Friendly Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/07/11/2018-heerenveen-friendly-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=11 July 2018}} In August, she withdrew from the Junior European Championships due to a leg injury.{{cite web |title=Vaelen Lisa |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/athletes/bio_detail.php?id=72715 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=6 July 2021}} She returned to competition in November at the Gymnova Cup and won the gold medal in the all-around.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 Gymnova Cup Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/11/17/2018-gymnova-cup-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=17 November 2018}} Her final meet of the season was the Top Gym Tournament where she won the gold medal in the all-around.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 Top Gym Tournament Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/12/01/2018-top-gym-tournament-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=1 December 2018}}
= 2019 =
Vaelen once again began her season at the WOGA Classic, and she finished sixth in the all-around.{{cite web |title=2019 WOGA Classic International Elite Meet Results |url=https://www.woga.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WC-Junior-Elite-2019.pdf |website=WOGA |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=9 February 2019}} Her next competition was the City of Jesolo Trophy where the Belgian team won the bronze medal behind Russia and the United States, and she finished nineteenth in the all-around.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2019 City of Jesolo Trophy Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2019/03/04/2019-city-of-jesolo-trophy-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=4 March 2019}} She then won the gold medal in the all-around at the International GymSport.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2019 International GymSport Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2019/05/11/2019-international-gymsport-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=11 May 2019}} At the Belgian Championships, she won the bronze medal in the all-around.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2019 Belgian Championships Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2019/06/08/2019-belgian-championships-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=8 June 2019}} She then competed at the FIT Challenge and helped Belgium win the team gold medal.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2019 FIT Challenge Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2019/06/10/2019-fit-challenge-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=10 June 2019}}
{{multiple image
| total_width = 750
| image1 = 2019-06-28 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics JWCH Women's All-around competition Subdivision 2 Vault (Martin Rulsch) 031.jpg
| caption1 = Vault
| image2 = 2019-06-28 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics JWCH Women's All-around competition Subdivision 2 Uneven bars (Martin Rulsch) 063.jpg
| caption2 = Uneven bars
| image3 = 2019-06-28 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics JWCH Women's All-around competition Subdivision 2 Balance beam (Martin Rulsch) 143.jpg
| caption3 = Balance beam
| image4 = 2019-06-28 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics JWCH Women's All-around competition Subdivision 2 Floor exercise (Martin Rulsch) 210.jpg
| caption4 = Floor exercise
| footer_align = center
| footer = Vaelen at the 2019 Junior World Championships
| caption_align = center
| align = center
}}
Vaelen competed at the inaugural 2019 Junior World Championships alongside Stacy Bertrandt and Noémie Louon, and they finished fifth in the team competition.{{cite web |title=2019 Junior Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Recaps and Results |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=24075 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=6 July 2021 |date=1 July 2019}}
Senior career
= 2020-2021 =
Vaelen made her senior debut at the 2020 L'International Gymnix in Montreal where she helped the Belgian team win the silver medal behind the United States.{{cite web |title=USA wins senior and junior team titles, 10 individual titles at 2020 Gymnix International |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=25320 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=9 March 2020}} However, this was her only competition of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the 2021 Osijek Challenge Cup, Vaelen won the bronze medal on the uneven bars behind Nina Derwael and Zsofia Kovacs.{{cite web |title=Double gold for Derwael in her re-emergence at Osijek World Challenge Cup |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?idNews=3181 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=6 July 2021 |date=14 June 2021}} She then competed at the FIT Challenge and helped Belgium win the team silver medal behind France.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2021 FIT Challenge Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2021/07/01/2021-fit-challenge-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=20 October 2021 |date=1 July 2021}} She was selected to represent Belgium at the 2020 Summer Olympics alongside Nina Derwael, Maellyse Brassart, and Jutta Verkest.{{cite web|url=https://tokyo2021.gobelgym.be/|title=Team Belgym Naar Tokyo|trans-title=Team Belgium to Tokyo|website=GoBelgym|language=Dutch|date=3 July 2021}} She competed on the vault, uneven bars, and floor exercise in the team final where the team finished eighth.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/GAR/OG2020-_GAR_C73D_GARWTEAM--------------FNL---------.pdf|title=Artistic Gymnastics: Women's Team Final – Results|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=27 July 2021|archive-date=27 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727125951/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/GAR/OG2020-_GAR_C73D_GARWTEAM--------------FNL---------.pdf|url-status=dead}}
=2022=
In August, Vaelen competed at the European Championships in Munich, where she contributed to Belgium's fifth-place finish in the team final. Individually, she placed fifth in the all-around, and finished fourth in the vault final behind Zsófia Kovács, Asia D'Amato and Aline Friess with a total score of 13.583.{{cite web|url= https://www.europeangymnastics.com/event/2022-european-championships-artistic-gymnastics/results|title=2022 European Championships results|website=European Gymnastics|accessdate=16 August 2022}}
=2023=
In April, Lisa competed at the 2023 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships where she won the bronze medal on vault. She also ended up 4th in the All Around final, 7th with the team and on uneven bars.
Few months later, she was diagnosed with mononucleosis and had to stop training for several months. She returned to training in March 2024.
Competitive history
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;"
! align="center" |Year ! align="center" |Event ! style="width:30px;" |Team ! style="width:30px;" |AA ! style="width:30px;" |VT ! style="width:30px;" |UB ! style="width:30px;" |BB ! style="width:30px;" |FX | |||||||
| colspan="8" | Junior | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"|2016 | align=left|Belgian Championships | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | |
| align=left|Gymnova Cup | {{gold1}} | ||||||
| rowspan="4"|2017 | align=left|WOGA Classic | 8 | 6 | ||||
| align=left|Belgian Championships | {{bronze3}} | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | {{bronze3}} | ||
| align=left|Gymnova Cup | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | {{bronze3}} | |||
| align=left|Top Gym | 5 | 8 | 8 | 15 | |||
| rowspan="7"|2018 | align=left|WOGA Classic | 12 | |||||
| align=left|International GymSport | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | |||
| align=left|Belgian Championships | {{bronze3}} | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | |||
| align=left|Dutch Championships | {{gold1}} | {{silver2}} | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | |||
| align=left|Heerenveen Friendly | {{silver2}} | 5 | |||||
| align=left|Gymnova Cup | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | 4 | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | ||
| align=left|Top Gym | {{gold1}} | {{bronze3}} | {{bronze3}} | ||||
| rowspan="6"|2019 | align=left|WOGA Classic | 5 | {{bronze3}} | ||||
| align=left|City of Jesolo Trophy | {{bronze3}} | 19 | |||||
| align=left|International GymSport | {{gold1}} | {{gold1}} | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | {{gold1}} | ||
| align=left|Belgian Championships | {{bronze3}} | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | ||||
| align=left|FIT Challenge | {{gold1}} | 7 | |||||
| style="background:#ccf;"
|align=left|Junior World Championships | 5 | ||||||
| colspan="8" | Senior | |||||||
| rowspan="1"|2020 | align=left|L'International Gymnix | {{silver2}} | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
| rowspan="3"|2021 | align=left|Osijek World Cup | {{bronze3}} | 7 | ||||
| align=left|FIT Challenge | {{silver2}} | 12 | |||||
| bgcolor=98FB98
|align=left|Olympic Games | 8 | ||||||
| rowspan="4" | 2022 | |||||||
| bgcolor=#F5F6CE
| align=left | European Championships | 5 | 5 | 4 | ||||
| align=left | Paris Challenge Cup | 4 | {{bronze3}} | |||||
| bgcolor=#CCCCFF
| align=left | World Championships | 11 | 6 | |||||
| rowspan="2" | 2023 | |||||||
| bgcolor=#F5F6CE
| align=left | European Championships | 7 | 4 | {{bronze3}} | 7 | |||
| rowspan="1" | 2025 | align=left | DTB Pokal Team Challenge | 4 | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Lisa Vaelen}}
- {{FIG|bio=72715|lic=45618}}
- {{Team Belgium|Lisa-Vaelen-340}}
- {{Olympics.com|lisa-vaelen}}
- {{Olympedia}}
- {{Instagram|lisavaelen}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaelen, Lisa}}
Category:Belgian female artistic gymnasts
Category:Olympic gymnasts for Belgium
Category:Gymnasts at the 2020 Summer Olympics