Thomas Van der Plaetsen

Hey @Olympics @Athlete365, I know what would be great for the financial fitness of many athletes... Getting paid✌️

@BartDubois1 Blij om er weer eentje op papier te zetten! Nu wat doorwerken om alle losse eindjes aan elkaar te knopen en een dikke score neer te zetten 💪

@vanderplaetsen eindelijk nog eens een volledige tienkamp! Blij voor jou! En de speer... Waaauw

This was the problem I was facing. I Would have loved to have done an indoor season, but without an outdoor decathlon, no world ranking 🤷‍♂️.

The problem: 1. To be on the WR, you need at least one decathlon. So if you were injured the summer before, finishing a heptathlon won't even get you on the rankings.

5 athletes of the current top 10 indoors aren't competing in the @euroindoor2023 because @EuroAthletics decided to use the world rankings as the qualifying standard. Someone remind me how these world rankings have brought any improvement to our sport?

@BartDubois1 Dat zullen we in de toekomst zien... Straffe madam!

Waar eindigt dit Thomas @vanderplaetsen ? Hier hebben we het laatste nog niet van gezien. Proficiat aan het hele team! #nafithiam #Istanbul2023

Now most athletes are perpetually stuck in limbo as they have to tell everyone (fans, federation, sponsors, their university,...) that they 'might' be qualified for a championship...

And I will just repeat a major problem with world rankings instead of straight qualifying standards: NO LEVERAGE FOR THE ATHLETES! If you hit the qualifying standard a year ahead of worlds or Olympics. Federations & sponsors can react by offering more support.

I was a huge fan of Tim Lobinger growing up! He was a great vaulter and had tons of character... Who remembers him mooning the prince of Monaco? Unfortunately he went too soon after a lengthy battle with cancer. Rest in Peace Tim!

@coachtoddfather Thanks Todd! Appreciate the feedback!

This is a fantastic short series of videos covering @vanderplaetsen and his year of recovery from his terrible LJ accident in Tokyo. Hard not to be a huge fan of his after watching his journey. youtu.be/ktl32yfIsBo

@BartDubois1 Moest tienkamp vanzelf gaan, het zou niet meer interessant zijn... Maar na een "fantastische" revalidatie moeten afzeggen door een stom blessurke is zwaar lullig 😬. Moet voor volgend seizoen gelukkig niet alweer van nul beginnen!

@vanderplaetsen mag de pech nu eindelijk een stoppen? Verdomme toch... Kerel, ik heb mrt jouw te doen.

@alexandrosM That's a good one! Everyone knows an idea is only as good as it's best catch phrase!

@vanderplaetsen "memes outrun genes"

Memes travel faster than genes

The FINAL episode of INJURED is now up! INJURED episode 6: Stepping Foward In this episode, we're in the final stretch before the competitions start, I have to make a decision about the World Championships and I try to reckon with an uncertain future. youtube.com/watch?v=JR2rxb…

@DouweAmels @stevemagness That's some prime Twitter algorithm placement right there!

@vanderplaetsen I'm not sure if @stevemagness was replying to your tweet @vanderplaetsen, but it sure looks like it ;-).

8460 entry standard for the world championships next year... Guess most of us can look forward to another year of World-Ranking-Bonus-Point Roulette™. Because if there's anything us decathletes like with our decathlon, it's some more uncertainty✌️.