{{Short description|Belgian middle-distance runner}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Ruben Verheyden | fullname = | nickname = | image = Ruben Verheyden 2023 (cropped).jpg | imagesize = 160px | caption = Verheyden in 2023 | nationality = Belgian | sport = Track and Field | event = 800m, 1500m | universityteam = | club = | turnedpro = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|12|22|df=y}} | birth_place = | country = {{BEL}} | coach = Kim Barbé | height = | weight = | pb = {{ubl |'''Outdoor'''<ref>{{iaaf name|14754671}}</ref> |'''800 m:''' 1:45.69 (Brussels 2024) |'''1500 m:''' 3:30.99 (Paris 2025) '''{{AthAbbr|NR|Belgian}}''' |'''5000 m:''' 14:32.64 (Herve 2021) |'''Indoor''' |'''800 m:''' 1:49.18 (Ghent 2022) |'''1500 m:''' 3:46.55 (Toruń 2024) }} | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's athletics }} {{MedalCountry | {{BEL}} }} {{MedalCompetition|European Cross Country Championships}} {{Medal|Silver|2024 Antalya|Senior team}} {{Medal|Bronze|2021 Dublin|Mixed relay}} {{MedalCompetition|European U23 Championships}} {{MedalGold| 2021 Tallinn|1500 m}} }}
'''Ruben Verheyden''' (born 22 December 2000) is a Belgian middle-distance runner, who specializes in the 1500 metres. He won a bronze medal at the 2021 European Cross Country Championships in the Mixed relay with his teammates Vanessa Scaunet, Elise Vanderelst and Stijn Baeten.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-12-12|title=Belgium takes bronze at Euro cross country mixed relay|url=https://www.brusselstimes.com/197524/belgium-takes-bronze-at-euro-cross-country-mixed-relay|access-date=2024-09-10|website=The Brussels Times}}</ref> He won the 1500m at the 2022 Belgian Athletics Championships, and the same event at the 2021 and 2022 Belgian Indoor Athletics Championships.<ref>[https://m.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20210221_92161330 Merel Maes niet te stuiten: “Overweldigend”], ''Het Nieuwsblad'', 21 February 2021</ref> He also won the 1500 m at the 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tallinn21-u23results.european-athletics.com/resEU23CH-/pdf/EU23CH-/ATH/EU23CH-_ATH_C73G_ATHM1500M-------------FNL-000100--.pdf |title=Final Results |access-date=2021-07-14 |url-status= }}</ref>
In 2024, Verheyden fell just short of the podium in fourth place at the 2024 European Athletics Championships and with a personal best time of 3:33.40 qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgium-ends-european-athletics-with-six-medals-thanks-to-jochem-vermeulen |title=European Athletics Championships: Belgium finish tournament with six medals |date=2024-06-12 |access-date=2024-08-16 |url-status= }}</ref> At those Olympics, Verheyden, 12th in his heat and 10th in the repechages, failed to qualify for the semi-finals.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.lalibre.be/dernieres-depeches/2024/08/03/jo-2024-jochem-vermeulen-et-ruben-verheyden-elimines-en-repechages-sur-1500-m-R2W5ISLX7FELLFEPKE3XJ3OOBY/ |title=JO 2024 - Jochem Vermeulen et Ruben Verheyden éliminés en repêchages sur 1.500 m |date=2024-08-03 |access-date=2024-08-16 |language=french }}</ref> In December 2024, he picked up a silver medal with the Belgium men's team at the 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.european-athletics.com/news/ingebrigstsen-wins-third-senior-title-in-dominant-style-in-antalya-2024-|website=European Athletics|access-date=10 December 2024|title= Ingebrigtsen wins third senior title in dominant style in Antalya 2024|date=8 December 2024}}</ref>
In June 2025, Verheyden set new 1500 metres and Mile run Belgian national records at the 2025 Meeting de Paris resp. the 2025 Bislett Games legs of the 2025 Diamond League.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/article/13399/records-tumble-in-paris-as-habz-stark-and-chopra-light-up-diamond-league-night|website=www.watchathletics.com|access-date=21 June 2025|title=World Leads, Records, and Showdowns: Paris Diamond League Delivers Thrilling Night at Charléty|date=20 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/6726/results-oslo-diamond-league-bislett-games-2025|website=www.watchathletics.com|access-date=21 June 2025|title=Results - Oslo Diamond League Bislett Games 2025|date=12 June 2025}}</ref> With his time of 3:30.99, he qualified for the 1500 metres race at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sporza.be/nl/2025/06/18/ruben-verheyden-sloopt-belgisch-record-1500-meter-en-gaat-samen-met-pieter-sisk-onder-wk-limiet~1750260002171/ |title=Ruben Verheyden sloopt Belgisch record 1.500 meter en gaat samen met Pieter Sisk onder WK-limiet |date=2025-06-20 |access-date=2025-06-21 |language=dutch |trans-title=Ruben Verheyden breaks Belgian record 1,500 meters and goes under the World Championships entry standard together with Pieter Sisk }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Footer U23 European Champions 1500m Men}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Verheyden, Ruben}} Category:2000 births Category:Living people Category:Belgian men middle-distance runners Category:Olympic athletes for Belgium Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:21st-century Belgian sportsmen Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Belgium
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