Two years after my first worldcup final, there was a worldcup held in Puurs again. That is the climbing gym where I always train. For the people from our club it meant a lot of hard work, meetings and e-mails. But the result was a great comp with an outdoor festival, great food and fun things to do. And on top of that, we received splendid weather!

But for me, things did not turn out as I had hoped:

Friday, the day before the competition, I start feeling sick.

Sick. Just now.
A competition on home soil, I have trained so hard and all my fans are hoping for a good result…
Several TV companies ready to record a great show…
The only thing I can do is to give everything to God.
If this had happened a week before, I would have stayed in bed and would have skipped a training.
But now… I have to climb a world cup… Jesus help me!

The qualification day starts. During warming up I feel weak. But instead of falling early, I top both qualification routes!
Then some interviews, autographs for sponsors, pictures being taken and finally, some rest.

Sunday morning, semifinal. I feel worse.
I have to climb second last. The route looks alright, but I have no idea how I will feel. I have nothing to put my trust in except for God. So that is what I do: I give everything into His hands.
I climb without paralizing pressure since I have nothing to expect. And,  somehow, I am able to top the semifinal route! The speaker says: ‘And just as Anak would say, thank You Jesus’.

Photo: Alan Cuypers

My home crowd is impressed. People hope that I will win. Now the pressure is getting higher.

I try to rest in our van. Meanwhile there is a fun competition: Guinness record DYNO. My friend Celine shatters the world record 7 times!

I go back into isolation for the final route. Even warming up is difficult.
Finally it is my turn. I climb well, the crowd cheers me on. It seems like I am able to top out.

Photo: Jérôme Vervier

But then, nearly at the top, I miss a hold. I go back to the previous one and try again. But I don’t have enough power left and… fall. The dream is gone.
Both Mina and Jain climb really strong and top out. I am in 3rd place and a little disappointed.

Photo: Jérôme Vervier

But hey. Wait! Before the comp started I felt so bad that I didn’t want to compete. Still, God gave me the bronze medal!
As a christian, I am like a soldier, a servant of God. The enemy, satan, tries hard to discourage me and make me stumble. I believe that this illness which struck me on the exact weekend where I hoped to be fit, was no coincidence.
But God is faithful. And I believe that His plan for my life will happen. This time, the right place for me was 3rd. Yes, thank you Jesus! 🙂

Comforted by Celine (Jérôme Vervier)

Podium with Mina and Jain (Photo: ERTS)

Photo: Jérôme Vervier

Photo: Jérôme Vervier

Photo: Marc De Schryver