Ilana Hanssens

Ilana Hanssens
Personal information
Born (2002-01-27) 27 January 2002
Sport
SportAthletics
Events
Hurdles, Sprint
Achievements and titles
Personal bests400 m: 52.86 (Gent, 2026)
400 mH: 56.50 (Bochum, 2025)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Belgium
World Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place2026 Toruń4 × 400 m mixed

Ilana Hanssens (born 27 January 2002) is a Belgian sprinter and 400 metres hurdler. She has represented Belgium at international competitions, and won the gold medal at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay.[1]

Biography

Hanssens is a member of ASV Oudenaarde (ASVO) and studies Educational Science at Gent University.[2][3] She was the Belgian under-23 champion in the 400 metres hurdles in September 2024.[4]

Hanssens placed second to Paulien Couckuyt in the 400 metres at the 2025 Belgian Indoor Athletics Championships.[5] She competed for Belgium at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in China, running in both the Women's 4 × 400 metres relay and the Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay at the championships in May 2025.[6][7] Later that month, Hanssens won the IFAM Ghent in the 400 metres hurdles and also ran a new personal best in the 400 metres at IFAM Brussels.[8] That summer, she represented Belgium at the 2025 Summer World University Games in Bochum, Germany, where she finished sixth in the 400 m hurdles final in a time of 56.95 seconds, having run a personal best of 56.50 seconds in the preliminary heats.[9][10]

Hanssens set a new 400 metres personal best of 52.86 seconds in Gent in January 2026.[11] She placed second behind Helena Ponette in the 400 metres at the 2026 Belgian Indoor Athletics Championships.[12] In March 2026, she was selected for the relays at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland, winning the gold medal in the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay on 21 March running alongside Jonathan Sacoor, Julien Watrin and Helena Ponette.[13][14][15] Their time of 3:15.60 was the fastest short track performance recorded for the event.[16] In May, she ran at the 2026 World Athletics Relays in the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay in Gaborone, Botswana.[17] In August, she competed at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, England, in the women's 4 x 400 metres relay.[18]

International competitions

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Belgium
2026 World Indoor Championships Toruń, Poland 1st 4 × 400 m relay mixed 3:15.60
European Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 6th 4 × 400 m relay 3:25.19

References

  1. ↑ "Ilana Hanssens". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  2. ↑ Goossens, Willy (May 16, 2024). "Ilana Hanssens wants to continue her upward trend in the 400-meter hurdles: "Fortunately, the combination with my studies is going quite well."". nieuwsblad. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "ILANA HANSSENS WANTS TO SHOW PROGRESS ON HIGH HURDLES AT THE BELGIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR YOUNG ATHLETES". Atletiek.be. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Belgian U23 Championships". World Athletics. 8 Sep 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Belgian Indoor Championships". World Athletics. 23 Feb 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "4X400 METRES RELAY WOMEN". World Athletics. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  7. ↑ "Mixed 4x400 Metres Relay - World Athletics Relays Championships 2025". Watch Athletics. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  8. ↑ "Ilana Hanssens loopt ook op IFAM in Brussel nieuw persoonlijk record". nieuwsblad.be. May 25, 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "Ilana Hanssens eindigt zesde in hordenfinale op de Universiade". nieuwsblad.be. 24 Jul 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  10. ↑ Reyntjens, Michiel (23 July 2025). "Rafael Franzini pakt EYOF-goud, Seppo Pauwels wint brons en Ilana Hanssens loopt knap PR op Universiade". atni.be. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  11. ↑ Reyntjens-, Michiel (January 31, 2026). "Mariska Parewyck is in sight of the top 3 of all time with her masters-BR, Ilana Hanssens runs a great new PR". atni.be. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  12. ↑ Goossens, Willy (2 Mar 2026). "After the Flemish title in cross-country, now also the national indoor title for Laure Bilo: "No World Championship limit, but you won't hear me complaining."". .gva.be. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "La Belgique avec une équipe ambitieuse aux Championnats du Monde en salle en Pologne". lbfa.be. Mar 10, 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "CHAOTIC MIXED RELAY IN TORUŃ SEES BELGIUM EMERGE WITH GOLD". Athletics Weekly. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "Belgium takes inaugural world indoor mixed 4x400m title in Kujawy Pomorze". World Athletics. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "Belgium makes world indoor history on day two in Kujawy Pomorze". World Athletics. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "World Athletics Relays". World Athletics. 3 May 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "European Athletics Championships". World Athletics. 10 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
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