Here in Wallonia, one of our most illustrious athletes is a multiple national, international and world champion 'antelope'.
Intelligent, funny, erudite, light as a feather and fast as the wind, Danielle Justin is a discreet yet brilliant athlete.
Read more: 25 Belgian gold medals, 4 world gold medals, 2 European gold medals. Add to this a number of silver and bronze medals. She has broken a few national records, too. She is an extraordinary Walloon athlete.
Danielle's favourite disciplines are racing (1,500, 3,000 and 10,000 metres) and cross-country running.
Nonetheless, Danielle won her first national gold medal in the 3,000 metres at Heysel in Belgium and excelled in the half-marathons in Nazaré, Portugal, which she won. The first half-marathon she entered to test herself, she won the women's event, and the following year she entered the competition without any specific preparation and improved her time by 8 minutes!
She won the Brussels 20 km twice without having had time to train. She admits that she took the risk of running with her gut feeling. She generously shares with me the happiness she felt when Madame Vanderstraeten invited her to Brussels for a ceremony and dinner, where she received a medal in a case and a magnificent watch after winning her second Brussels 20 kilometres.
She broke her last record in 2018, in Denmark, where she again smashed the Belgian speed record in a 5,000-metre race.
In 2023, she won her 25th gold medal in Lokeren at a national 10,000-metre road race championship.
An expert runner with the skills to pass on her knowledge, she graciously agreed to coach other athletes, including several Belgian champions.
Her hobbies? Piano and flute.
Danielle successfully completed post-graduate studies in physical education and biology. She has had a successful professional career as a physical education teacher alongside her sporting career. She took a break of around 19 years, returned to racing and immediately won a gold medal. A top-level athlete, she experienced health problems and had to undergo several operations. But this did not stop our Walloon antelope. She continued to race after her convalescence, winning gold medals again and again.
Danielle Justin contributes to the Belgian aura of top-level sport, making Belgium and Wallonia known the world over. She was born in a small town set in an exceptional natural environment and will be taking part in the Belgian all-round championship on 22 and 23 June 2024. Danielle will compete in the 1,500-metre event on 22 June 2024 and the 5,000-metre event on 23 June 2024, in Beveren. In August 2024, Danielle will take part in the World Athletics Championships in Sweden in the 1,500 metres, 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres road race and a 6,000-metre cross-country race. She trains hard and has a determined, strong-willed nature and ironclad morale. Her trainer follows her, advises her and pushes her to constantly exceed her limits.
Unfortunately, in Belgium and Wallonia, even top-level athletes have to pay the costs involved in their passion. They are responsible for all the costs: competition entries, training, clothing worn at competitions, travel, hotels, etc. It is therefore important to encourage our Walloon athletes so that they can pursue their activities in better conditions, bring home more medals and break more records. These athletes represent the image of our beautiful region and country; they represent Wallonia, they defend our values, but also the sponsors who put their trust in them and support them.
Danielle modestly avoids the subject. I discovered that she does not receive any sponsorship, though this is exactly what she needs to be able to race in better training and competition conditions.
If you represent or manage a company, a sports club, a business, a guest house or a magazine, for example, you can choose to sponsor Danielle for the value you desire. Sponsorships are tax-deductible to a certain extent. Discuss this with your Accounting Officer. The transmission of your image and brand by this top Belgian and Walloon athlete is a sound investment.
Here are Danielle's contact details for more information:
Email: judanbe@gmail.com
Mobile and WhatsApp: +32 472 01 16 62
Facebook: Danielle Pro Justin.
(Photos published with the athlete's consent).
Victoria B. Lohay,
Ambassadrice,
Wallonia.be
(+32/470.688.302)
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