Ruben Querinjean Hints at World Championship Medal Ambitions

On Thursday 8 October 2026, the Luxembourg Athletics Federation (Fédération Luxembourgeoise d'Athlétisme – FLA) held a special evening in honour of Ruben Querinjean at the Coque Amphitheatre in Luxembourg-Kirchberg to celebrate his achievements during the 2026 summer season.

The event brought together Luxembourg’s Minister for Sport Martine Hansen, the President of the Luxembourg Olympic and Sports Committee (COSL) Michel Knepper, representatives of the FLA's management as well as the federation's partners and sponsors.

During the season, Ruben Querinjean won silver in the 3,000m steeplechase at the European Championships in Birmingham in August and bronze in the road mile at the World Championships in Copenhagen in September. He also finished fourth in the Diamond League final and set two Luxembourg national records: 8:05.36 in the 3,000m steeplechase and 3:52.77 in the road mile. He was ranked eighth in the world and second among European athletes.

In her opening speech, FLA President Stéphanie Empain described 2026 as a historic year for Luxembourgish athletics, highlighting Ruben Querinjean's talent, determination and the work behind his achievements. Looking ahead, she expressed confidence in his continued success: "With your talent and your desire to improve, we will have many more great things to look forward to in the future."

Minister for Sport Martine Hansen also congratulated Ruben Querinjean on his silver and bronze medals. She emphasised that these achievements were the result of hard work, discipline and perseverance, as well as the support of his team. "We are all proud to see you representing our colours on the international stage," she said, wishing him continued success and encouraging him to maintain his enjoyment of sport and ambition to progress. The minister also presented Ruben Querinjean with a gift on behalf of the ministry.

The evening continued with a screening of Ruben Querinjean's two medal-winning races on a large screen, accompanied by commentary from his coach, Thomas Vandormael. Reflecting on the European Championships, the coach highlighted the athlete's race strategy, particularly the final 400 metres, when he moved through the field to secure the silver medal. Thomas Vandormael explained that although they had anticipated such a scenario and prepared a race strategy accordingly, putting it into practice during the competition was considerably more difficult. Discussing the World Championships, he recalled "a rather complicated final month", during which preparations had not gone entirely as planned, although the qualifying rounds provided encouraging signs ahead of the bronze-medal performance.

During the discussion, Ruben Querinjean revealed that he had initially lacked motivation to extend his season beyond the Diamond League final. However, he eventually decided to compete in Copenhagen, where he went on to secure an unexpected world bronze medal in the road mile.

Asked about Ruben Querinjean's greatest qualities, coach Thomas Vandormael highlighted his humility and resilience, particularly his ability to remain committed to his goals despite setbacks and difficult periods. He described this quiet determination as one of the athlete's most admirable qualities.

In an interview with Chronicle.lu, the 24-year-old athlete confirmed his coach's assessment, explaining that his progress had come through consistency rather than major changes to his training: "I don't change anything. I just put one year once without injuries, big injuries, I mean. So no, that's exactly the same. And I hope if I repeat every year the same [training programme], it will be every time a bit better."

He added that the preparation continued to evolve gradually, with more altitude training and heat training incorporated over time. "Every year we put something new, but not really something very different. That's just the same as before," he explained.

Reflecting on his two international medals, Ruben Querinjean described the different emotions associated with achieving a long-standing goal and securing an unexpected result. "When you put the goal and you achieve the goal, that's really powerful. And the other one, it's surprising. So that's not the same feelings. One is very powerful and the other one is surprising. But both together, that means a lot. And I hope it will be very great for the next year."

Looking ahead, the Luxembourg athlete identified the 2026 SPAR European Cross Country Championships, scheduled to take place in Belgrade, Serbia, on Sunday 13 December 2026, as his next major objective: "In next month I have the European Cross Country Championship. I would like to have a medal, but I don't know the level of the [competition], but it can be a great achievement to have that on the cross country because that's a really tough discipline.”

Cross-country running holds particular significance for Ruben Querinjean, who described it as the discipline in which his athletics career began. "I really like the cross country. That's my first love for athletics, that's where I am the best. Maybe now no, but before yes, that's where all my career began. So yeah, I think the cross country is something very special for me."

He also outlined his ambitions for the 2027 World Athletics Championships, which will take place in Beijing, China: "Maybe a top five, it's good. And when you say top five, you said something else that you want, but I know how difficult it is to have a medal. So I will not say what I want, but everyone understands."