by Ulrike Vandamme
published on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 7:06 PM •
2 min read
Belgian gymnast Jutta Verkest (18) announced her retirement from top sport today on Instagram. Verkest was part of the Belgian team that finished eighth at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and seventh at the European Championships in Munich in 2022.
Jutta Verkest was one of the great talents in Belgian gymnastics at a young age. In 2021, she made her debut at the Olympic Games at the age of 15, where she finished eighth with the team and 23rd in the individual all-around final.
Jutta Verkest
Verkest suffered a number of injuries last year, which forced her to miss a number of matches. In November 2023, she took part in the World Championships in Antwerp, where she finished eleventh with the team in the qualifications. That will now be the last match of her professional career.
In her farewell message on Instagram, Verkest writes that the decision to quit top sport was “both challenging and exciting”. “My journey as a gymnast has undoubtedly been filled with highs and lows, triumphs and difficulties, but they all helped me grow both as an athlete and as a person.”
In her message, Verkest thanks everyone who has supported her during her career. She also wishes the other Belgian gymnasts good luck with their preparations for the Olympic Games and their further careers. Verkest herself was unable to qualify for the Olympic Games and she had the feeling that she could no longer make progress in training.
