Gustaaf Bernart

Gustaaf Bernart was a longtime member and organizer at the Sporting Club in Gent. The national titleholder in heavyweight weightlifting for four consecutive years (1924-28), he was selected to represent his country at the 1924 Paris Olympics in the heavyweight class, finishing ninth in a field of 19 competitors.

In 1930, Bernart married Suzanne Minnaert, whose family operated a variety theatre and performed in a circus acrobatic act, The Minnaerts. He also performed in a barrel-jumping act alongside his wife entitled “Les Bernardos”, and was noted to even be able to perform jumps carrying a person on his back. He continued to work in the performing business well into his middle age, and later included his two sons and daughter in the act. Bernart died in Gentbrugge in 1969 at the age of 72.