Shopping, relaxing with family and friends. (fr.audi.be, 01 Sep 2020)

Athlete

Event Management - Artevelde University College Ghent: Belgium

Dutch, English, French

Sta Paraat Hasselt: Belgium

Marjorie Heuls [national, personal]

Her father Nico Derwael played football for Belgian club, KRC Genk. (sporza.be, 25 Apr 2017)

She was affected by a tendon injury to her knee throughout 2021 and into 2022. The problem meant she only competed on uneven bars and balance beam at the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool, England. She won bronze on uneven bars at the tournament. (gymnastics.sport, 28 Oct 2022; teknomers.com, 10 Jul 2022)

An injury to the big toe on her left foot kept her out of the 2021 European Championships in Basel, Switzerland. (proximus.be, 12 Apr 2021)

She sustained an ankle injury in May 2019. (hln.be, 25 Jun 2019)

She was affected by a foot injury in the build-up to the 2017 World Championships. (thegymter.net, 22 Sep 2017)

She suffered a broken hand in March 2016 while training on beam. (thegymter.net, 31 Mar 2016)

She got involved in gymnastics at age two. "Although the gym's policy stated the minimum age to be three, they allowed me to return after my first class."

"My parents took me to a class because they thought it would be good to participate in a sport."

She became the first artistic gymnast representing Belgium to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games by claiming victory on uneven bars at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Sep 2021; gymnastics.sport, 15 Aug 2021)

She became the first Belgian artistic gymnast to win a gold medal at the world championships when she secured the uneven bars title at the 2018 edition of the tournament in Doha, Qatar. A year earlier she was the first Belgian artistic gymnast to claim a gold medal at the European championships when won on uneven bars at the 2017 edition in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. (SportsDeskOnline, 17 Oct 2022; demorgen.be, 08 Nov 2018; een.be, 25 Apr 2017)

To compete at the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 05 Nov 2022; sporza.be, 09 Jul 2022)

She has two training sessions per day. One is focused on gymnastics and the other is aimed at improving her strength and conditioning.

Winning gold on uneven bars at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (Instagram profile, 01 Aug 2022)

US artistic gymnast Simone Biles. (gymnastics.sport, 28 Dec 2018)

"The night before a competition I think about all my routines. I just go through them." (gymnastiekfederatie YouTube channel, 21 Jul 2016)

"It doesn't matter what others do. I have to do my own thing, my own routine. I really need to focus on myself and not get stressed about what happens before me." (intlgymnast.com, 01 Sep 2021)

In 2018, 2019, and 2021 she was named Belgian Sportswoman of the Year. (sportmagazine.knack.be, 19 Dec 2021; sporza.be, 21 Dec 2019; 7sur7.be, 22 Dec 2018)

In October 2019 a gymnastics training hall was named after her in her birth place of Sint-Truiden, Belgium. (globaldomainsnews.com, 21 Oct 2019)

In 2018 she received the National Trophy for Sports Merit [Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste] in Belgium. (demorgen.be, 08 Nov 2018)

In 2018 she was presented of the Vlaams Sportjuweel [Flemish Sports Jewel] Award by the Flemish Ministry of Sports. (sportmagazine.knack.be, 19 Dec 2021)

In 2017 and 2018 she was given the Flemish Giant Trophy [Vlaamse Reus], an honour awarded by the Flemish sports press. (demorgen.be, 08 Nov 2018, ninaderwael.com, 01 Jan 2022)

She was named the 2016 Sportswoman of the Year in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. (invlaanderen.be, 03 Dec 2016)

NAMED ELEMENTS
In December 2017 'The Derwael / Fenton' was added to the Code of Points for the uneven bars by the International Gymnastics Federation [FIG]. The element, first performed by her at the 2017 World Championships in Montreal, QC, Canada, involves a backward Stalder with counter straddle reverse hecht over the high bar with half [180 degree] turn to hang in mixed L-grip and has an 'F' value. The element was also performed at the same championships by British gymnast Georgia-Mae Fenton, so the name of the element was shared between the two gymnasts. In September 2021 the 'Derwael II' was added to the Code of Points. The element, first performed by her at the 2021 World Challenge Cup in Osijek, Croatia, involves a pike sole circle backward with counter stretched hecht in layout position over high bar with half turn to hang in mixed L-grip and has an 'H' value. (gymnastics.sport, 24 Sep 2021; fr.audi.be, 01 Sep 2020; fig-gymnastics.com, 15 Dec 2017)

HIATUS
She took some time away from the sport after winning gold at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, before returning to training in mid-2022. "I felt the urge to enter the gym again. Did I think about quitting? Of course you always have doubts. Do I still like it enough? What would I do it for? Can I do even better? Those are questions that you ask yourself. The answer quickly followed in the gym - I still enjoy doing it. I'm glad I had that feeling. I didn't doubt for long whether the passion was still there. I still love it too much to stop. I feel like my body can handle it for a while." (sporza.be, 09 Jul 2022)

UNEVEN BARS
She feels that her best apparatus is the uneven bars. She won gold on the apparatus at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "I like to think that I communicate and have a relationship with the uneven bars. I would like to say that the bars speak to me, and in return, I listen. We understand each other. I can truly feel it when the bars want me to release, or regrasp, like a flowing movement. I feel as if I am one with the bars and know precisely where and when to let go or hold on just a moment longer. I truly work together with the uneven bars, in unison." (SportsDeskOnline, 30 Sep 2021; intlgymnast.com, 10 Mar 2021)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
In 2022 she took part in the Belgian version of the reality TV show, Dancing with the Stars. She and her dancing partner Jonatan Medart won the contest. "I never expected to make it to the final. What a party! I don't know what to say. It was a stressful moment. I was still scared, because Jonatan killed it all here on the dance floor." (sporza.be, 21 Sep 2022; vrt.be, 12 Feb 2022)