Belgium at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Flag of the Olympic Movement
IOC code	BEL
NOC	Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee
Website	www.olympic.be (in Dutch and French)
in Moscow
Competitors	59 (43 men and 16 women) in 10 sports
Medals Ranked 23rd	Gold 1 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 1
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

Belgium competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR. In partial support of the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics, Belgium competed under the Olympic Flag instead of its national flag. 59 competitors, 43 men and 16 women, took part in 51 events in 10 sports.^[1]

Medalists

Gold

• Robert Van de Walle — Judo, men's half-heavyweight (95 kg)

Archery

In Belgium's third appearance in the modern archery competition, the nation was represented by two men, including 1972 and 1976 Olympic veteran Robert Cogniaux.

Men's Individual Competition:

• Robert Cogniaux — 2414 points (→ 9th place)
• Willy van den Bossche — 2384 points (→ 17th place)

Athletics

Men's 400 metres

• Fons Brijdenbach
• Eddy De Leeuw
• Jacques Borlée

Men's 5,000 metres

• Emiel Puttemans
• Alex Hagelsteens

Men's 10,000 metres

• Alex Hagelsteens
  • Heat — 29:47.6 (→ did not advance)

Men's Marathon

• Karel Lismont
  • Final — 2:13:27 (→ 9th place)
• Mark Smet
  • Final — 2:16:00 (→ 13th place)
• Rik Schoofs
  • Final — 2:17:28 (→ 18th place)

Men's 4×400 metres Relay

• Eddy de Leeuw, Danny Roelandt, Rik Vandenberghe, and Fons Brijdenbach
  • Heat — did not finish (→ did not advance)

Men's High Jump

• Guy Moreau
  • Qualification — 2.21 m
  • Final — 2.18 m (→ 14th place)

Men's Pole Vault

• Patrick Desruelles
  • Qualification — no mark (→ did not advance)

Women's 200 metres

• Karin Verguts
• Lea Alaerts

Women's 400 metres

• Rosine Wallez
• Anne Michel

Women's 800 metres

• Anne-Marie Van Nuffel
  • Heat — 2:00.1
  • Semifinals — 2:02.0 (→ did not advance)

Men's 4×400 metres Relay

• Lea Alaerts
• Regina Berg
• Anne Michel
• Rosine Wallez

Women's High Jump

• Christine Soetewey
  • Qualification — 1.88 m
  • Final — 1.85 m (→ 12th place)

Canoeing

Cycling

Twelve cyclists represented Belgium in 1980.

Individual road race

• Luc De Smet
• Jan Nevens
• Ronald Van Avermaet
• Jan Wijnants

Team time trial

• Patrick du Chau
• Marc Sergeant
• Gerrit Van Gestel
• Leo Wellens

1000m time trial

• Jan Blomme

Individual pursuit

• Joseph Smeets

Team pursuit

• Jan Blomme
• Diederik Foubert
• Jozef Simons
• Joseph Smeets

Fencing

Three fencers, two men and one woman, represented Belgium in 1980.

Men's foil

• Stéphane Ganeff
• Thierry Soumagne

Men's épée

• Stéphane Ganeff
• Thierry Soumagne

Women's foil

• Micheline Borghs

Judo

Shooting

Swimming

Women's 800m Freestyle

• Pascale Verbauwen
  • Final — 8.44,84 (→ 6th place)

Women's 100m Backstroke

• Carine Verbauwen
  • Final — 1.03,82 (→ 5th place)

Women's 200m Backstroke

• Yolande van der Straeten
  • Final — 2.15,58 (→ 5th place)
• Carine Verbauwen
  • Final — 2.16,66 (→ 6th place)

Women's 100m Breaststroke

• Brigitte Bosmans
  • Heats — 1:16.68 (→ did not advance)

Women's 400 m Individual Medley

• Christel Fechner
  • Heats — 4:56.92 (→ did not advance)

Women's 4 × 100 m Medley Relay

• Yolande van der Straeten, Brigitte Bosmans, Carine Verbauwen, and Pascale Verbauwen
  • Heats — 4.26,33 (→ did not advance)

Weightlifting

Wrestling