Ivo Van Damme
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| Olympic medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Athletics | |||
| Silver | 1976 Montreal | 800 metres | |
| Silver | 1976 Montreal | 1,500 metres | |
Ivo Van Damme (Termonde, February 21, 1954 – December 29, 1976) was a Belgian middle distance runner.
Van Damme was born in Termonde.[1] He played football until he was 16, but then switched to athletics. His breakthrough came in 1973, when he placed fourth in the Junior World Championships in the 800 m.
He suffered from mononucleosis the following season, but returned strong beating Roger Moens's 1955 record on 800 meter distance. In 1976, he won the European indoor title over 800 m, and was one of the favourites for a medal at 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. There, he placed second in both the 800 and 1500 m, finishing behind Alberto Juantorena and John Walker, respectively.
They were his last successes, as Van Damme was killed in a car accident while travelling home from Marseille in southern France. He was to marry Rita Thijs in 1977.]].[1] Since 1977, a memorial competition has been held in Brussels to remember him, the Memorial van Damme. It has become one of the major track and field meets of the season.
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| Preceded by: Bruno Brokken |
Belgian Sportsman of the Year 1976 |
Succeeded by: Michel Pollentier |
