Gaston, Baron Roelants (born 5 February 1937), is a Belgian former elite steeplechaser and

cross country runner Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open coun ...

. He won the 1962 European and 1964 Olympic titles in the

3000 m steeplechase The 3000 metres steeplechase or 3000-meter steeplechase (usually abbreviated as ) is the most common distance for the steeplechase in track and field. It is an obstacle race over the distance of the 3000 metres, which derives its name from the ...

and twice broke the world record.

Biography

Roelants finished fourth in the steeplechase at the 1960 Olympics, and after winning a bronze medal at the 1966 European Championships he successfully turned to longer distances, setting world records in the 20 km (58 minutes 6.2 seconds) and in the 1 hour race (20,664 m) that year. In 1972 he improved those records to 57 minutes 44.4 seconds and 20,878 meters. He won a silver (1969) and a bronze (1974) medal in European

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

races. He was ranked the world's best steeplechaser five times, in 1962–1965 and 1967. Roelants also won four international cross country titles (1962, 1967, 1969 and 1972) with three second places between 1960 and 1975. His long career continued into his 40s. Later he won five world titles in the masters category and held the masters world record in the steeplechase for 27 years. A major Belgian road race is named after Roelants.Sport. Brussels 10K Gaston Roelants
Brussels.be. Retrieved on 12 January 2014.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roelants, Gaston 1937 births Living people People from Bierbeek Sportspeople from Flemish Brabant Belgian male middle-distance runners Belgian male long-distance runners Belgian male marathon runners Belgian male steeplechase runners Olympic male marathon runners Olympic male steeplechase runners Olympic athletes for Belgium Olympic gold medalists for Belgium Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics International Cross Country Championships winners European Athletics Championships medalists Japan Championships in Athletics winners Belgian Athletics Championships winners World record setters in athletics (track and field) Belgian barons 20th-century Belgian sportsmen