Thomas Van der Plaetsen (born 24 December 1990 in Ghent) is a Belgian decathlete. His biggest achievements are winning the gold medal for decathlon at the 2016 European Athletics Championships, winning bronze medal for heptathlon at the 2014 World Indoor Championships, and gold medal for decathlon at the 2013 and 2015 Summer Universiade.
International competitions Representing 2009European Junior ChampionshipsNovi Sad, Serbia1stDecathlon7769 pts2011European Indoor ChampionshipsParis, France6thHeptathlon6020European U23 ChampionshipsOstrava, Czech Republic1stDecathlon8157World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea13thDecathlon80692013UniversiadeKazan, Russia1stDecathlon8164World ChampionshipsMoscow, Russia15thDecathlon82552014World Indoor ChampionshipsSopot, Poland3rdHeptathlon6259European ChampionshipsZürich, Switzerland10thDecathlon81052015UniversiadeGwangju, South Korea1stDecathlon7952World ChampionshipsBeijing, China14thDecathlon80352016European ChampionshipsAmsterdam, Netherlands1stDecathlon8218Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil8thDecathlon83322017World ChampionshipsLondon, United Kingdom –DecathlonDNF2018European ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany –DecathlonDNF2019European Indoor ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom6thHeptathlon5989World ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar9thDecathlon81252021Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan –DecathlonDNF2024European ChampionshipsRome, Italy11thDecathlon8084
Personal bests Outdoor 100 metres – 11.04 (+0.6 m/s; Götzis 2014) 400 metres – 48.64 (Ostrava 2011) 1500 metres – 4:32.52 (Götzis 2011) 110 metres hurdles – 14.36 (-0.3 m/s; Götzis 2021) High jump – 2.17 (Daegu 2011) Pole vault – 5.45 (Talence 2019) Long jump – 7.90 (+1.1 m/s; Götzis 2021) Shot put – 14.28 (Parow 2019) Discus Throw – 48.81 (Deinze 2021) Javelin throw – 65.31 (Moscow 2013) Decathlon – 8430 (Götzis 2021) Indoor 60 metres – 7.13 (Sopot 2014) 1000 metres – 2:40.50 (Sopot 2014) 60 metres hurdles – 8.06 (Mondeville 2014) High jump – 2.13 (Ghent 2012) Pole vault – 5.50 (Ghent 2019) Long jump – 7.78 (Apeldoorn 2014) Shot put – 14.32 (Sopot 2014) Heptathlon – 6259 (Sopot 2014)
Health problems In October 2014, it became known that during an unannounced doping control test in September 2014, Van der Plaetsen had tested positive for the hormone HCG. On 2 October 2014, Van der Plaetsen revealed that those heightened HCG levels were caused by up to then undiagnosed testicular cancer, for which he was then treated.'Betrapte' Van der Plaetsen heeft teelbalkanker
References
External links
Thomas van der Plaetsen's decathlon profile