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Jutta Verkest
Belgian artistic gymnast From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jutta Verkest (born 11 October 2005) is a Belgian retired artistic gymnast. She represented Belgium at the 2020 Summer Olympics and was the youngest gymnast at the 2020 Olympic Games.[2][3]
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Personal life
Jutta Verkest was born on 11 October 2005, in Mechelen, and she began gymnastics in 2010.[4] Her mother, Mireille, is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[2] Her idol is Gabby Douglas.[1] She moved to Ghent to train with the Belgian national team.[5]
Junior career
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At the 2016 Belgian Championships, Verkest finished seventh in the all-around and won the bronze medal on the floor exercise.[6] She then made her international debut at the 2017 FIT Challenge and finished eleventh in the all-around in the Espoir division.[7] She then competed at the 2017 Swiss Cup and helped the Belgian team win the silver medal behind Germany.[8] At the 2018 Tournoi International, she finished fourth in the all-around with a total score of 50.267. She also won the silver medal in the uneven bars event final behind Swiss gymnast Lena Bickel.[9] Then at the 2018 Top Gym Tournament, she won the gold medal on the uneven bars and placed eighth in the all-around.[10]
Verkest competed at the 2019 City of Jesolo Trophy, and the Belgian junior team won the bronze medal behind Russia and the United States. Individually, she finished twenty-sixth in the all-around.[11] She then competed at the L'International Gymnix where the Belgian team won the silver medal behind the United States.[12] At the 2019 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival, Verkest competed with Charlotte Beydts and Margaux Dandois, and they finished sixth. Individually, Verkest finished fourteenth in the all-around final and sixth in the uneven bars final.[13] At the 2020 L'International Gymnix, Verkest won a bronze medal on the uneven bars behind Konnor McClain and Skye Blakely.[14]
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Senior career
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Verkest made her senior international debut at the 2021 Heerenveen Friendly, and she finished seventh in the all-around.[15] She was initially Belgium's reserve athlete for the 2021 European Championships, but when Nina Derwael withdrew due to a minor foot injury, Verkest was sent.[16] After the qualification round, she was the third reserve for the all-around final, but she was added to the competition after Giulia Steingruber withdrew.[17] Verkest was only notified one hour before the all-around final started.[16] She ultimately finished tenth with a total score of 52.132.[18] She then competed at the FIT Challenge and helped the Belgian team win the silver medal behind France. Individually, she placed sixth in the all-around and fourth on the uneven bars, and she won the bronze medal on the floor exercise behind Roxana Popa and Maria Ceplinschi.[19]
Verkest was selected to represent Belgium at the 2020 Summer Olympics alongside Maellyse Brassart, Nina Derwael, and Lisa Vaelen.[20] Had the 2020 Olympic Games not been postponed, she would have not been age-eligible for the competition due to her 2005 birth date.[21] Before the Olympics, she stated, "The postponement of the Games was positive for me. I have come to gain experience with an eye to Paris in 2024."[22] She competed on all four events in the team final where the team finished eighth.[23] Individually, she qualified for the all-around final where she finished twenty-third with a total score of 51.232.[24]
Verkest competed at the 2022 European Championships in Munich, where she contributed to Belgium's fifth-place finish in the team final.[25]
Verkest announced her retirement from the sport on 15 April 2024.[26]
Competitive history
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References
External links
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