Jozef “Jef” Hermans of the Cercle des Régates de Bruxelles was the Belgian skiff champion from 1907–09. Selected to compete in that event at the 1908 Olympic Games in London, Hermans was defeated in his heat by Alexander McCulloch of Great Britain, who went on to win the silver medal. He remained an active rower for the next two decades, also competing in pairs and eights events. Hermans was selected once again to compete at the Olympic Games held on home soil in Antwerpen (Antwerp) in 1920, as a member of the coxed eights team. They lost in their preliminary heat to the United States, the eventual champions.