Belgium is really good at beer and chocolate. But the Winter Olympics?
Not so much.
The nation had never won an individual Winter Games gold medal until speedskater Bart Swings made history on Saturday. (Watch the video below.)
Swings arrived first in a frantic finish of the mass-start even. Belgiumβs only previous gold came in pairs figure skating in 1948.
WHAT A FINISH TO THE MEN'S MASS START FINAL!
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 19, 2022
Joey Mantia of @TeamUSA finishes fourth by .001 seconds. #WinterOlympics \\ #WatchWithUS
πΊ: @USA_Network & @peacockTV
π»: https://t.co/NbKUbnVq8Q pic.twitter.com/5yBIkYOs8w
Team Belgium made sure the world knew of Swingsβ long-awaited feat on Twitter:
OLYMPIC CHAMPION! π₯@bartswings wins mass start gold!!
— Team Belgium (@teambelgium) February 19, 2022
The 1st individual gold in Belgian Winter Olympic history.#WeAreTeamBelgium #Beijing2022@NatLot_Belgie / @LotNat_Belgique@sportvlaanderen pic.twitter.com/CoS8enx4it
The Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs game him a shoutout as well.
π #WeAreTeamBelgium
— π§πͺ Belgium MFA (@BelgiumMFA) February 19, 2022
π₯ Gold for Belgium at the #Beijing2022 Winter @Olympics!
π Congratulations for winning speed skating mass start gold and accomplishing your dream, @bartswings!
π§πͺ The 1st individual gold in Belgian Winter Olympic history. pic.twitter.com/AdGi2MFFZh
βI always want to raise the bar to the next level,β Swings said, per The Associated Press.
Swings won silver in the mass start at the 2018 Olympics.
βNow a gold medal following up on that silver is historical,β he told NBC. βItβs unbelievable. Iβm looking forward to getting home with my family and friends.β
WHAT A FINISH TO THE MEN'S MASS START FINAL!
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 19, 2022
Joey Mantia of @TeamUSA finishes fourth by .001 seconds. #WinterOlympics \\ #WatchWithUS
πΊ: @USA_Network & @peacockTV
π»: https://t.co/NbKUbnVq8Q pic.twitter.com/5yBIkYOs8w
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