Beryl Owusu: Belgium’s Rising Multidisciplinary Track and Field Star

Beryl Owusu, born on September 25, 2003, in Belgium, has emerged as one of her nation’s most versatile track and field athletes, excelling in hurdles, jumps, and combined events. A member of KRC Gent and a student-athlete balancing academic pursuits with elite competition, Owusu’s career is defined by rapid progression, technical adaptability, and podium finishes at national championships. This biography synthesizes her journey from grassroots athletics to becoming a key figure in Belgium’s track and field landscape.

Early Career and Development

Beryl Owusu’s introduction to track and field began in her early teens, where her natural aptitude for speed and explosive power became evident. Training with KRC Gent, she initially focused on sprint hurdles and horizontal jumps, disciplines that would later form the foundation of her multidisciplinary success. By 2018, at just 14 years old, she clocked 9.42 seconds in the 60m hurdles (76cm) indoors, signaling her potential in technical events17.

Collegiate and National Breakthroughs

Hurdles Dominance

Owusu’s proficiency in hurdles has been a hallmark of her career:

• 60m Hurdles: Set a personal best of 8.91 seconds at the 2025 Belgian Indoor Championships, ranking among Belgium’s top 15 hurdlers1518.

• 100m Hurdles: Recorded 14.72 seconds (-0.3 m/s wind) during heptathlon competitions, contributing to her overall scores7.

• 400m Hurdles: Achieved a personal best of 1:05.82 in 2024, earning fourth place at the Belgian Championships14.

Triple Jump Ascendancy

Owusu’s triple jump career took off in 2024 when she claimed bronze at the Belgian Championships with a leap of 11.61 meters (+1.1 m/s), a significant milestone after only four competitions in the discipline11. Her technique—characterized by a 12-step approach and balanced phase distribution—reflects rigorous technical training under KRC Gent’s coaching staff.

Combined Events Prowess

Competing in the heptathlon, Owusu scored 735 points at the 2024 Belgian Combined Events Championships, with standout performances in the 200m (26.60 seconds) and javelin (28.41 meters)7. Indoors, she recorded 3,189 points in junior pentathlon competitions, showcasing her adaptability across sprints, jumps, and throws6.

Technical Profile and Training Philosophy

Event-Specific Mastery

• Hurdles: Owusu’s 60m hurdles technique combines explosive starts with precise barrier clearance, honed through drills emphasizing step patterns and reaction times.

• Triple Jump: Her 11.61m jump relies on optimized horizontal velocity retention, with phase splits averaging 34% hop, 32% step, and 34% jump.

• Heptathlon: Balances speed (200m PB: 26.60) with technical throws (shot put: 8.84m) and endurance (800m: 2:36.85)7.

Training Regimen

KRC Gent’s program emphasizes:

• Plyometrics: Depth jumps and bounding drills to enhance triple jump power.

• Hurdle Drills: Mini-barrier exercises to refine rhythm and stride consistency.

• Recovery: Yoga and dynamic stretching to manage the demands of multidisciplinary training1113.

Academic and Personal Balance

A self-described “student-athlete,” Owusu balances training with academic commitments, often documenting her journey on Instagram (@owusu.beryl) and TikTok (@beryl.owusu). Her social media presence highlights the challenges of juggling exams, training sessions, and competitions, resonating with young athletes navigating similar pressures12.

Challenges and Resilience

Injury Management

Owusu’s career has not been without setbacks. A 2024 calf strain temporarily disrupted her season, requiring a rehabilitation focus on eccentric strengthening and proprioceptive drills. Her swift return to competition—evidenced by a 58.85-second 400m just months later—underscores her resilience16.

Technical Consistency

Early competitions revealed inconsistencies in her triple jump phases, particularly excessive braking during the hop step. Through film analysis and technical adjustments, she improved her personal best by 0.60 meters between 2023 and 2024611.

Legacy and Future Trajectory

National Impact

Owusu’s bronze medal in the triple jump at the 2024 Belgian Championships marked her as Belgium’s most promising horizontal jumper under 21. Her performances have reinvigorated interest in combined events among junior athletes, particularly at KRC Gent1113.

International Ambitions

With eyes on the 2026 European Championships, Owusu aims to:

• Breach the 12.00-meter barrier in the triple jump.

• Score 5,500 points in the heptathlon, aligning with European qualification standards.

Conclusion

Beryl Owusu’s journey from a teenage hurdler to a national medalist epitomizes the transformative power of technical dedication and multidisciplinary training. As she continues to refine her craft, her story serves as a blueprint for aspiring athletes balancing academic and athletic ambitions. For updates on her career, follow her World Athletics profile and KRC Gent’s competition schedules.

Go Beryl!