top of page
PHOTONEWS_11104091-152 (2).jpg

In 2022, Cynthia Bolingo suffered a serious injury, a complete tear of the

semitendinosus tendon (long superficial muscle in the back of the thigh), during the 60m final at the Belgian Championships. Despite the injury, she broke her 60m record with a time of 7.25 and qualified for the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul in March 2024. She then had to undergo a major operation, sidelining her for an extended period.

 

Remarkably, just 4 months after her surgery, Cynthia made a strong comeback in mid- July. After two races, she qualified for the European Championships in Munich, where she achieved the fourth-best time of her career at 50.82 and finished 7th in a competitive final. She became the first Belgian female athlete to reach the final in

this distance. Two days later, Cynthia and the Belgian 4x4 team (Belgian Cheetahs) set a new national record with a fourth-place finish.

In 2024, Cynthia also achieved her first international medal, earning 3rd place with the Belgian Cheetahs in the 4x400m relay at the European Championships in Rome—a major milestone in her career.

That same year she participated in her third Olympic Games in Paris in the 400m, further cementing her legacy as one of Belgium's greatest athletes.

PHOTONEWS_11048022-070.jpg

Career

PSI_IS_Diamond_League_Brussels_Memorial_

In 2016, at 23, Cynthia competed in her first Olympic Games in Rio for the 200m. While she didn't advance past the heats, the experience solidified her as an athlete. After facing several injury-plagued seasons, she made a strong comeback in 2018. She reached the 400m semi-finals at the European Championships in Berlin and set a national record with the Belgian 4x4 team, finishing 4th.

 

In 2019, at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Cynthia took second place in the 400m by just two hundredths of a second. She set a new national record of 51.69, which she still holds. In 2021, Cynthia broke the Belgian 400m record with a time of 50.29, securing her spot in the Tokyo Olympics. She also qualified in the 200m with a time of 22.77.

However, she suffered an injury during the pre-Olympic camp in Japan and had to withdraw, which was a tough moment for her career.

Adding to her achievements, at the Brussels Diamond League in September, Cynthia finished 3rd in front of her home crowd and set a new Belgian record with a time of 50.19. In 2023, Cynthia had a standout year. At the World Championships in Budapest, she set a new national record in the 400m with a time of 49.96 during the semi-finals. She finished 5th in the final, making her the first Belgian to reach a world championship final since Kim Gevaert in 2007.

 

Also in 2023, a new sports complex in Brussels' Marolles district was named after her: the Cynthia Bolingo Sports Complex, a great honor for her. To cap off the year, she was ranked among the Top 5 Belgian athletes and received the Spike d’Or award for the best Belgian athlete in athletics.

In 2024, Cynthia also achieved her first international medal, earning 3rd place with the Belgian Cheetahs in the 4x400m relay at the European Championships in Rome—a major milestone in her career.

That same year she participated in her third Olympic Games in Paris in the 400m, further cementing her legacy as one of Belgium's greatest athletes.

In 2022, Cynthia Bolingo suffered a serious injury, a complete tear of the

semitendinosus tendon (long superficial muscle in the back of the thigh), during the 60m final at the Belgian Championships. Despite the injury, she broke her 60m record with a time of 7.25 and qualified for the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul in March 2024. She then had to undergo a major operation, sidelining her for an extended period.

 

Remarkably, just 4 months after her surgery, Cynthia made a strong comeback in mid- July. After two races, she qualified for the European Championships in Munich, where she achieved the fourth-best time of her career at 50.82 and finished 7th in a competitive final. She became the first Belgian female athlete to reach the final in

this distance. Two days later, Cynthia and the Belgian 4x4 team (Belgian Cheetahs) set a new national record with a fourth-place finish.

In 2024, Cynthia also achieved her first international medal, earning 3rd place with the Belgian Cheetahs in the 4x400m relay at the European Championships in Rome—a major milestone in her career.

That same year she participated in her third Olympic Games in Paris in the 400m, further cementing her legacy as one of Belgium's greatest athletes.

PHOTONEWS_11048022-070.jpg
PHOTONEWS_11104091-152 (2).jpg
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok

Adding to her achievements, at the Brussels Diamond League in September, Cynthia finished 3rd in front of her home crowd and set a new Belgian record with a time of 50.19. In 2023, Cynthia had a standout year. At the World Championships in Budapest, she set a new national record in the 400m with a time of 49.96 during the semi-finals. She finished 5th in the final, making her the first Belgian to reach a world championship final since Kim Gevaert in 2007.

 

Also in 2023, a new sports complex in Brussels' Marolles district was named after her: the Cynthia Bolingo Sports Complex, a great honor for her. To cap off the year, she was ranked among the Top 5 Belgian athletes and received the Spike d’Or award for the best Belgian athlete in athletics.

In 2024, Cynthia also achieved her first international medal, earning 3rd place with the Belgian Cheetahs in the 4x400m relay at the European Championships in Rome—a major milestone in her career.

That same year she participated in her third Olympic Games in Paris in the 400m, further cementing her legacy as one of Belgium's greatest athletes.

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
png-transparent-computer-icons-home-house-home-angle-building-rectangle-thumbnail-removebg
bottom of page