1. Early life
Nina Derwael's early life was marked by her family's athletic background and her remarkably young start in gymnastics, which led her to pursue intensive training at a national level from a young age.
1.1. Childhood and early training
Derwael was born on March 26, 2000, in Sint-Truiden, Limburg, Belgium. Her family had a strong athletic background; her father, Nico Derwael, was a former professional football player, and her mother, Marijke Lammens, competed in both handball and table tennis. Derwael began her journey in artistic gymnastics at the age of two, even though her gym typically had a policy requiring children to be at least three years old to start.
1.2. Move to national training center
At the age of eleven, Derwael made a significant commitment to her gymnastics career by moving to Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium. This relocation allowed her to train at the Belgian national team training center under coaches like Ulla Koch, Marjorie Heuls, and Yves Kieffer, a crucial step for her development in the sport. Alongside her rigorous training, she enrolled in a boarding school, balancing her academic pursuits with her demanding athletic schedule.
2. Junior career
Nina Derwael's junior career saw her make her international debut and steadily rise through the ranks, accumulating significant experience and medals at various competitions before transitioning to the senior level.
2.1. International debut
Derwael made her international debut in 2013 at the Elite Gym Massilia, held in Marseille, France. In her first international appearance, she finished eighth in the all-around competition, and the Belgian team secured a seventh-place finish.
2.2. Major junior competitions and achievements
In 2014, Derwael competed at the International Gymnix in Montreal, where she placed fifteenth in the all-around and eighth in the uneven bars event final. At the Belgian Championships in July, she finished fifth in the all-around. She then participated in a friendly meet against Romania and France, where the Belgian junior team earned second place behind Romania. Derwael was selected to represent Belgium at the Junior European Championships alongside teammates Axelle Klinckaert, Rune Hermans, Jelle Beullens, and Cindy Vandenhole, with the team finishing sixth in the competition. Later that year at the Elite Gym Massilia, she achieved a bronze medal in the all-around, placing behind Daria Spiridonova and Giorgia Campana. The Belgian team also won a bronze medal, trailing Italy and Russia. Individually, she placed fifth in both the uneven bars and the floor exercise event finals. Her final competition of the 2014 season was the Top Gym Tournament in Charleroi, where she finished fourteenth in the all-around. In the event finals, she secured a silver medal on the uneven bars, finishing behind Angelina Melnikova, and placed fifth on the floor exercise.
The 2015 season was particularly successful for Derwael in her junior career. At the Belgian Championships, she dominated by winning gold medals in the all-around, on the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise, in addition to a silver medal on the vault. She continued her winning streak at the Flanders Team Challenge, where she won the all-around gold medal and helped the Belgian team finish second behind Germany. Derwael competed at the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival with Axelle Klinckaert and Julie Meyers, where the team earned a silver medal, placing behind Russia. In the all-around final, Derwael finished fourth. She went on to win a silver medal on the uneven bars, behind Daria Skrypnik, placed fifth on the balance beam, and secured a bronze medal on the floor exercise. Her final junior competition was the Elite Gym Massilia, where she finished fifth in the all-around and the floor exercise, and won a bronze medal on the balance beam, behind Laura Jurca and Enus Mariani.
3. Senior career
Nina Derwael's senior career began in 2016, marking her transition to the elite level of international artistic gymnastics. This period saw her rise from an Olympic debutant to a multiple World and European champion, culminating in her historic Olympic gold medal.
3.1. Debut and early senior competitions (2016-2017)
Derwael became age-eligible for senior international competition in 2016. She made her senior debut at the International Gymnix, where she contributed to the team's gold medal victory and finished seventh in the all-around. In the event finals, she won a gold medal on the uneven bars and a silver medal on the balance beam. In March, she sustained a hand injury while training on the balance beam, which forced her to miss the 2016 Olympic Test Event. She returned to competition at the European Championships, where the Belgian team placed ninth in the qualification round. The Belgian national team also competed at the Dutch Championships, with Derwael finishing sixth in the all-around and securing a silver medal on the uneven bars behind Laura Waem, as well as placing fifth on the floor exercise.
Derwael represented Belgium at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro alongside Senna Deriks, Rune Hermans, Gaëlle Mys, and Laura Waem. The Belgian team placed twelfth in the qualification round. Individually, Derwael finished twelfth on the uneven bars, serving as the third reserve for the event final. She successfully qualified for the all-around final and placed nineteenth with a total score of 56.299. Following the Olympics, she competed at the Joaquín Blume Memorial, where she won the gold medal in the all-around.
In 2017, Derwael competed as a guest for Dunkerque Gym at the France Top 12 Championships, helping the team finish fifth. She placed sixth in the all-around and tied with Alison Lepin for the gold medal on the uneven bars. At the 2017 City of Jesolo Trophy, she finished twelfth in the all-around. Her performance at the European Championships in Cluj-Napoca saw her finish seventh in the all-around final. Later, in the uneven bars final, she made history by becoming the first Belgian female gymnast to win a gold medal at the European Championships. Subsequently, at the Flanders International Team Challenge, she earned a bronze medal with the Belgian team and another bronze on the balance beam.
Derwael continued her success by winning the gold medal on the uneven bars at the Paris Challenge Cup. At the World Championships, she secured the bronze medal on the uneven bars, placing behind defending World champion Fan Yilin of China and first-year senior Elena Eremina of Russia. This achievement made her the first Belgian female gymnast to medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. She also finished eighth in the all-around final. Reflecting on her bronze medal, Derwael expressed her happiness, stating that she had always dreamed of a World Championships medal and found the experience surreal. During this competition, Derwael and Georgia-Mae Fenton of Great Britain successfully performed a new, difficult original skill-a Stalder to Tkatchev with a half twist-which was subsequently named the Derwael-Fenton in the Code of Points. At the end of the year, she was honored with the Vlaamse Reus, an award presented by sports journalists to the best Flemish sportsperson of the year.
3.2. Rise to European and World Champion (2018-2019)
The years 2018 and 2019 marked Nina Derwael's definitive rise to the top of international gymnastics, as she secured multiple European and World titles, solidifying her status as a global leader on the uneven bars.
In 2018, Derwael competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge in Stuttgart, where she won both the team gold medal and the all-around gold medal. One week later, at the Doha World Cup, she claimed the gold medal on the uneven bars and a bronze medal on the balance beam, placing behind French gymnasts Melanie de Jesus dos Santos and Marine Boyer. In March, she won the all-around gold medal at the Belgian Championships. She also helped the Belgian team achieve a fourth-place finish at the Heerenveen Friendly.
At the European Championships, Derwael qualified in second place for the uneven bars final, behind 2013 European runner-up Jonna Adlerteg of Sweden, and in first place for the balance beam final. Although the Belgian team qualified in third place for the team final, they withdrew to prevent potential injuries to team members. In the event finals, Derwael successfully defended her European title on uneven bars, finishing ahead of Adlerteg and Russian national bars champion Angelina Melnikova. She also earned a silver medal on the balance beam, placing behind reigning Olympic Champion Sanne Wevers of the Netherlands. At the Varsenare Friendly, she won gold medals with the Belgian team and in the all-around.
At the 2018 World Championships, Derwael helped the Belgian team finish eleventh in the qualification round. Individually, she qualified for the all-around, uneven bars, and balance beam finals. She finished fourth in the all-around final with a total score of 55.699. In the uneven bars event final, Derwael scored 15.200, winning the title by half a point over American Simone Biles, recording both the highest difficulty and execution scores in the final. This historic victory made her the first Belgian gymnast to ever win a gold medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. She also placed fourth in the balance beam event final. Following her World Championship success, she competed at the Cottbus World Cup and won the gold medal on the uneven bars. For her outstanding achievements, she received the Vlaamse Reus award for the second consecutive year and was also named Belgian Sportswoman of the Year, receiving the Belgian National Sports Merit Award and the Flemish Sportsjewel award.
In March 2019, Derwael competed at the Doha World Cup, where she won the gold medal on the uneven bars and the silver medal on the balance beam. In April, she announced her decision to forgo the European Championships to prioritize helping Belgium qualify a team for the 2020 Olympics at the upcoming World Championships.
In June, Derwael competed at the Flanders International Team Challenge, where she won the gold medal with the Belgian team on the uneven bars and the silver medal in the all-around, behind Naomi Visser. Her next competition was the European Games in Minsk. During qualifications, she competed only on the balance beam and uneven bars, qualifying for both event finals in first and second place, respectively. During the uneven bars final, she unfortunately fell on her eponymous skill and finished fourth. Shortly after, she competed in the balance beam final and won the gold medal. At the Worms Friendly, she secured gold medals on the uneven bars and the balance beam, and helped the Belgian team finish second behind Germany.
In October, Derwael competed at the World Championships in Stuttgart. During qualifications, she helped Belgium secure tenth place, which, while not enough for the team final, successfully qualified the team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Individually, Derwael qualified for the all-around, uneven bars, and floor exercise finals. In the all-around final, she finished in fifth place but achieved the highest uneven bars score of the day. In the uneven bars final, Derwael scored 15.233, earning the gold medal and successfully defending her World title. This made her the fifth woman in World Championships history to successfully defend her uneven bars title, joining the ranks of Maxi Gnauck (1981, 1983), Daniela Silivaș (1987, 1989), Svetlana Khorkina (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001), and Fan Yilin (2015, 2017). Following her victory, she withdrew from the floor exercise final, citing previous foot injuries and a desire to remain healthy in preparation for the Olympics. For the second consecutive year, she was named Belgian Sportswoman of the Year.
3.3. Olympic Champion (Tokyo 2020)
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo represented the pinnacle of Nina Derwael's career, where she achieved a historic gold medal, marking a significant milestone for Belgian gymnastics.
In February 2020, it was announced that Derwael was slated to compete at the 2020 Tokyo World Cup. However, the event was later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. In December 2020, Derwael and her boyfriend, Siemen Voet, tested positive for COVID-19, though she remained asymptomatic.
Derwael returned to competition in March 2021 at the Belgian internal test meet, where she secured gold medals in the all-around and on all four individual events. In June, she competed at the Osijek Challenge Cup and won gold medals on both the uneven bars and the balance beam. At this event, she debuted a new element on the uneven bars: a toe-on laid-out Tkatchev (a Nabieva) with a half twist, which was subsequently named after her. At the Flanders International Team Challenge, she finished fourth in the all-around, contributed to the Belgian team's silver medal behind France, and won the gold medal on the uneven bars.
In July 2021, Derwael was selected to represent Belgium at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, alongside teammates Maellyse Brassart, Jutta Verkest, and Lisa Vaelen. At the Olympic Games, Derwael played a crucial role in helping Belgium qualify for their first-ever team final, where they ultimately finished eighth. Individually, she qualified for both the all-around and uneven bars finals. Derwael placed sixth in the all-around final with a total score of 55.965. In the uneven bars final, Derwael delivered a gold medal-winning performance with a score of 15.200. This historic achievement marked Belgium's first Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics and their first gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. For her remarkable success, she was named Belgian Sportswoman of the Year for the third time.
3.4. Comeback and qualification for Paris 2024 (2022-2024)
Following her Olympic triumph, Nina Derwael faced a period of injuries but made a determined comeback to qualify for her third Olympic Games.
After a 15-month absence due to knee injuries, Derwael returned to competition at the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool. There, she helped the Belgian team finish eleventh during qualifications, and individually, she qualified for the uneven bars final. In the event final, she earned the bronze medal, placing behind reigning world champion Wei Xiaoyuan of China and American Shilese Jones.
Derwael missed the 2023 European Championships due to a shoulder injury. Subsequently, she dislocated her shoulder during practice leading up to the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp and was forced to withdraw from the event. At these World Championships, Belgium's team failed to qualify a full team for the 2024 Olympic Games, meaning Derwael would need to pursue an individual quota spot.
At the beginning of 2024, Derwael announced her intention to compete on the balance beam at the 2024 World Cup series to attempt to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games. Six months after her shoulder surgery, she made her return to competition at the Cairo World Cup, where she won the gold medal on the balance beam. She then competed at the World Cup in Cottbus, finishing fifth, but notably was the highest-placing gymnast among those eligible for Olympic qualification points. At the World Cup in Baku, she secured the bronze medal and was once again the highest-placing Olympic-eligible athlete. These consistent results guaranteed her qualification for her third Olympic Games in Paris.
4. Eponymous skills
Nina Derwael has two distinct release moves on the uneven bars that are officially recognized and named after her in the Code of Points.
| Apparatus | Name | Description | Difficulty | Added to Code of Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uneven bars | Derwael-Fenton | Stalder to straddle Tkatchev release over high bar with ½ twist | E (0.5) | 2017 World Championships |
| Derwael II | Toe-on laid-out Tkatchev with a ½ twist | F (0.6) | 2021 Osijek Challenge Cup |
5. Competitive history
| Year | Event | Team | AA | VT | UB | BB | FX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | |||||||
| 2013 | Elite Gym Massilia | 7 | 8 | ||||
| 2014 | International Gymnix | 15 | 8 | ||||
| Belgian Championships | 5 | ||||||
| Beaumont en Véron Friendly | - | ||||||
| Junior European Championships | 6 | ||||||
| Elite Gym Massilia | - | - | 5 | 5 | |||
| Top Gym | - | 14 | - | 5 | |||
| 2015 | Belgian Championships | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Flanders Team Challenge | - | - | |||||
| European Youth Olympic Festival | - | 4 | - | 5 | - | ||
| Elite Gym Massilia | 4 | 5 | - | 5 | |||
| Senior | |||||||
| 2016 | International Gymnix | - | 7 | - | - | ||
| European Championships | 9 | ||||||
| Dutch Championships | 6 | - | 5 | ||||
| Olympic Games | 12 | 19 | 12 | ||||
| Joaquim Blume Memorial | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2017 | France Top 12 Championships | 5 | 6 | - | |||
| City of Jesolo Trophy | 7 | 12 | |||||
| European Championships | 7 | - | |||||
| Flanders Team Challenge | - | - | |||||
| Paris Challenge Cup | - | 6 | |||||
| World Championships | 8 | - | |||||
| 2018 | DTB Pokal Team Challenge | - | - | ||||
| Doha World Cup | - | - | |||||
| Belgian Championships | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Heerenveen Friendly | 4 | ||||||
| European Championships | - | - | |||||
| Varsenare Friendly | - | - | |||||
| World Championships | 4 | - | 4 | ||||
| Cottbus World Cup | - | ||||||
| 2019 | Doha World Cup | - | - | ||||
| Flanders Team Challenge | - | - | |||||
| European Games | 4 | - | |||||
| Worms Friendly | - | - | - | ||||
| World Championships | 5 | - | |||||
| 2021 | Belgian Test Meet | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Osijek Challenge Cup | - | - | |||||
| Flanders Team Challenge | - | 4 | - | ||||
| Olympic Games | 8 | 6 | - | ||||
| 2022 | |||||||
| World Championships | 11 | - | |||||
| 2024 | Cairo World Cup | - | |||||
| Cottbus World Cup | 5 | ||||||
| Baku World Cup | - | ||||||
| Olympic Games | 4 | ||||||
6. Awards and recognition
Nina Derwael has received numerous prestigious awards and recognitions for her outstanding achievements in gymnastics, solidifying her status as one of Belgium's most celebrated athletes.
- Belgian Sportswoman of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021)
- Belgian National Sports Merit Award (2018)
- Vlaamse Reus (2017, 2018)
- Flemish Sportsjewel (2018)
7. Personal life
Outside of her gymnastics career, Nina Derwael, who stands at 67 in (170 cm), has pursued academic interests and engaged in various public activities. She is currently studying Event Management at the Artevelde University of Applied Sciences in Ghent. Derwael is multilingual, fluent in Dutch, French, and English.
During the 2020 Olympics, a photo of Derwael and her teammate Maellyse Brassart sitting in a split alongside tennis player Novak Djokovic went viral, showcasing a lighthearted moment between elite athletes. After the 2020 Olympics, Derwael participated in the third season of Belgium's Dancing with the Stars. She achieved the highest score in the final episode and was ultimately voted the winner of the season, demonstrating her versatility beyond the gymnastics arena.
8. Legacy and impact
Nina Derwael's career has profoundly impacted Belgian gymnastics, establishing a new benchmark for excellence and inspiring a generation of athletes. Her achievements are historically significant as she is the first Belgian female gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal. Furthermore, she broke new ground by becoming the first Belgian gymnast of any gender to secure titles at both the World Championships and the European Championships. Her consistent success and pioneering spirit have elevated the profile of artistic gymnastics in Belgium, serving as a powerful inspiration for aspiring gymnasts and contributing to the sport's growth and recognition within the country.