The countdown can begin. In exactly a year’s time, the Olympic Games will be underway in Paris. What can we expect from the Belgian team? As it does for every edition of the Olympics renowned data company Gracenote has launched a forecast. It predicts a record harvest for Belgium.
Forecasts are what they are: there are no certainties, but merely an educated guess to estimating the possible result of Belgian ambitions at this event.
Statisticians at Gracenote base their virtual medal table on all available data from major competitions, such as past Olympic Games, World Cups and World Championships.
According to these figures, the United States will again outperform all at the Paris Olympics, going home with a whopping 128 medals. Expectations are also high for China (68 medals) and for host nation France (63 medals).
What about Belgium I hear you asking? Belgium is ranked 20th with 13 medals: 4 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze.
That would be a record harvest.
So who, according to Gracenote, are those champion Belgians, who will soon be winning medals?
According to the forecast, Nafi Thiam is set to take her 3rd Olympic title and Remco Evenepoel (in the time trial) and Lotte Kopecky (in the road race) will also win gold.
The Belgian cycling champion is also predicted to win gold in the track team race. Kopecky’s regular partner, Shari Bossuyt, is currently suspended due to a positive doping test. If that punishment is not revoked, we should reckon on one medal fewer.
Gracenote expects Nina Derwael and the Red Lions, the men’s hockey team, not to extend their Olympic titles. They will have to be satisfied with silver this time. That is also the expectation for Matthias Casse, who would advance from bronze in Tokyo.
The Belgian Tornados, the 4x400m relay team, are also credited with silver as is yachtswoman Emma Plasschaert.
Wout van Aert is on course for bronze in the road race. The Belgian eventing and jumping team are also expected on the podium twice. Just like taekwondoka Sarah Chaâri, who has already crowned herself world and European champion.
How correct the above prediction will prove to be? At the last Summer Games in Tokyo, Gracenote claimed Belgium was on course for 11 medals, but the country had to be satisfied with 7. Perhaps this time expectations can be exceeded. Rendez-vous in Paris in a year’s time.