Jana van Lent and Sem Serrano play key roles in Belgian team victories at 2025 European Cross Country Championships

The 2025 European Cross Country Championships, held on 14 December in Lagoa, Portugal, saw seven Golazo-managed athletes in action across the Senior, Under-23, Under-20, and Mixed Relay categories.

In the women’s senior race over 7.5 km, Jana van Lent finished in 4th with a time of 25:24, leading Belgium to the team title. With Lisa Rooms in 5th (25:34) and Chloe Herbiet in 9th (25:43), the Belgian trio combined for a winning team score of 16 points, well ahead of 2nd placer Great Britain (2 – 16 – 21 = 39 points) and 3rd placer France (11 – 12 – 19 = 42 points).

The Belgian U-20 men’s team also won the team title, with Sem Serrano finishing as the team’s no. 2 runner in 6th place with a time of 13:29 on the 4.5 km course.  Along with teammates Willem Renders (U-20 champion in 13:11) and Ilyes Druez (7th in 13:29), Belgium’s team score of 14 points easily defeated 2nd placer Great Britain (12 – 15 – 18 = 45 points) and 3rd placer Spain (2 – 14 -30 = 56 points).

In a very tightly contested men’s senior race, Ruben Querinjean of Luxembourg finished 7th with a time 22:28 for the 7.5 km course, just 5 seconds out of a podium place.

In the Mixed-Relay competition (2 women and 2 men each ran a leg of ~ 1 mile), Antoine Senard was a member of France’s 4th placing team (17:18), while Tibaut Vandelannoote helped Belgium place 5th (17:21).

Finally, the Belgian U-23 men’s team finished in 8th place, with the team’s no. 1 runner Noah Konteh finishing 15th in 18:20 for the 6 km course. The team’s no. 2 and no. 3 runners were brothers Mathis Lievens (33rd in 18:39) and Casper Lievens (41st in 18:48), respectively.

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