The King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels delivered some thrilling moments on Friday. Portuguese Olympic athlete Isaac Nader fought hard in the 1500 meters. He ended up securing a strong fourth-place finish. Portugal’s mixed 4×100 meter relay team also claimed fourth place, showing great teamwork.
Nader clocked a time of 3 minutes, 31.77 seconds in the Belgian capital. This was a good run, though a bit slower than his personal best. He had set that mark of 3 minutes, 29.37 seconds in Ostrava, Czech Republic, back in June. That time also stands as Portugal’s national record.
The 1500m race was a fierce contest. Niels Laros from the Netherlands took the victory in 3 minutes, 30.58 seconds. Phanuel Koech of Kenya secured second place with a time of 3 minutes, 31.41 seconds. American runner Yared Nuguse managed to pass Nader right near the finish line. Nuguse claimed third place, just ahead, in 3 minutes, 31.51 seconds.
Despite missing the podium in Brussels, Isaac Nader has already made his mark. He previously qualified directly for the 2025 World Championships. Those championships will take place in Tokyo, Japan, from September 13 to 21. Another Portuguese runner, Salomé Afonso, was also in the 1500m race. Unfortunately, she suffered a fall and could not complete her event in Brussels.
Later in the day, the Portuguese mixed relay team showcased their speed. Frederico Curvelo, Lorène Bazolo, Gabriel Maia, and Arialis Martinez formed the 4x100m squad. They finished in 41.86 seconds, securing fourth position. The Netherlands won the event in 40.96 seconds. Two Belgian quartets also finished ahead of Portugal, with times of 41.16 and 41.69 seconds.
Portugal also had a representative in the javelin throw. Leandro Ramos competed but finished in ninth, which was last place. His best throw came in his third attempt, reaching 73.14 meters. This was an improvement from his second throw of 71.43 meters, following an invalid first attempt.
This event in Brussels marked the 14th stop on the Diamond League circuit. It was the second-to-last stage of the season. The 16th edition of the athletics competition will wrap up next week. Zurich, Switzerland, will host the grand finale from Wednesday to Thursday. There, the annual champions for all 32 disciplines will be crowned.