Thomas Van der Plaetsen

Thomas Van der Plaetsen

Thomas Van der Plaetsen during the 2014 World Indoor Championships
Personal information
Full name	Thomas Van der Plaetsen
Born	24 December 1990 Ghent, Belgium
Education	Ghent University[1]
Sport
Country	Belgium
Sport	Track and field athletics
Event(s)	Decathlon
Coached by	Michael Van Der Plaetsen
Achievements and titles
World finals	2
Personal best(s)	8255 pts
Medal record Men's athletics Competitor for  Belgium World Indoor Championships 2014 Sopot Heptathlon Universiade 2013 Kazan Decathlon 2015 Gwangju Decathlon

Thomas Van der Plaetsen (born 24 December 1990 in Ghent) is a Belgian decathlete.^[2] His biggest achievements are the bronze medal at the 2014 World Indoor Championships and the gold at the 2013 Summer Universiade.

Achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  Belgium
2009	European Junior Championships	Novi Sad, Serbia	1st	Decathlon	7769
2011	European Indoor Championships	Paris, France	6th	Heptathlon	6020
	European U23 Championships	Ostrava, Czech Republic	1st	Decathlon	8157
	World Championships	Daegu, South Korea	13th	Decathlon	8069
2013	Universiade	Kazan, Russia	1st	Decathlon	8164
	World Championships	Moscow, Russia	15th	Decathlon	8255
2014	World Indoor Championships	Sopot, Poland	3rd	Heptathlon	6259
	European Championships	Zürich, Switzerland	10th	Decathlon	8105
2015	Universiade	Gwangju, South Korea	1st	Decathlon	7952
	World Championships	Beijing, China	14th	Decathlon	8035 pts

Personal bests

Outdoor

• 100 metres – 11.04 (+0.6 m/s) (Götzis 2014)
• 400 metres – 48.64 (Ostrava 2011)
• 1500 metres – 4:32.52 (Götzis 2011)
• 110 metres hurdles – 14.65 (-0.4 m/s) (Götzis 2011)
• High jump – 2.17 (Daegu 2011)
• Pole vault – 5.40 (Leiden 2014)
• Long jump – 7.80 (+0.5 m/s) (Kazan 2013)
• Shot put – 14.12 (Zürich 2014)
• Discus Throw – 43.31 (2013)
• Javelin Throw – 65.31 (Moscow 2013)
• Decathlon – 8255 (Moscow 2013)

Indoor

• 60 metres – 7.13 (Sopot 2014)
• 1000 metres – 2:40.50 (Sopot 2014)
• 60 metres hurdles – 8.06 (Mondeville 2014)
• High jump – 2.13 (Ghent 2012)
• Pole vault – 5.34 (Mondeville 2014)
• Long jump – 7.78 (Apeldoorn 2014)
• Shot put – 14.32 (Sopot 2014)
• Heptathlon – 6259 (Sopot 2014)

Health problems

In October 2014, it became known that during an unannounced doping control test in September 2014, Van der Plaetsen had tested positive for the hormone HCG. On 2 October 2014 van der Plaetsen revealed that those heightened HCG levels were caused by up to then undiagnosed testicular cancer, for which he will be treated.^[3]

References

1. 2013 Universiade profile
2. Thomas Van der Plaetsen profile at IAAF
3. 'Betrapte' Van der Plaetsen heeft teelbalkanker