Felix Meskens

Belgian long-distance runner Felix Meskens initially competed in the 10,000 metres before moving up to specialise in the marathon. Meskens won silver in the 10,000 metres at the national championships in 1933, followed by bronze in the same event the following year. In 1934 he had his first success in the marathon when he finished as the runner-up in Amsterdam, before winning the Paris Marathon in a time of 2:40.00. In 1935 he won the Belgian title in the marathon that was run in Mechelen on a course that measured 38 kms. This earned Meskens a spot on the Belgian team for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where he finished 20th in the race over the full 42.195 kms. A year after the Olympics he won the Rotterdam Marathon and another Belgian national title. In 1938 he continued to have more success with victory in the Amsterdam Marathon and a top-ten finish at the European Championships in Paris. Meskens won his final national title in 1949 on a 35km course in Bruxelles.

Personal Best: Mar – 2-40:00 (1934).