Hanne Desmet

Hanne Desmet was born on October 26, 1996, in Wilrijk, Belgium. She commenced her short track speed skating career at the age of 11, joining the Ice Racing Team Antarctica club in Wilrijk. Her entry into the sport was influenced by her brother, Stijn Desmet, who also pursued short track speed skating. Desmet quickly established herself, winning the 2015 Sports Merit Trophy in Wilrijk. She has consistently demonstrated her abilities, becoming a three-time Belgian all-round champion and holding Belgian records across all distances. Her club affiliations include the Ice Racing Team Antarctica and Ice Diamonds Antwerp.

Desmet’s international career progressed significantly. In 2019, she secured second place in the unofficial 3000m distance at the European Championships. She earned a silver medal in the 1000 meters at the 2021 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Dordrecht. A pivotal achievement occurred on February 11, 2022, when she won a bronze medal in the Women’s 1000 meters at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. This marked a historic moment, as she became the first short track skater to win an Olympic medal for Belgium. Following this, she received the Deurne Sports Trophy as Athlete of the Year in 2022.

Her achievements continued with gold medals at the European Championships in Gdańsk in 2023 and 2024, both in the 1000m event. She also earned silver medals in the 1500m and 2000m mixed relay at the 2023 European Championships, and a bronze in the 500m and 2000m mixed relay at the 2024 European Championships. In March 2025, Desmet achieved a significant milestone by winning the gold medal in the 1000 meters at the 2025 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Beijing, becoming the first Belgian woman skating world champion since 1948. Throughout her career, she has managed injuries including a broken collarbone in 2016, multiple concussions, and a bacterial infection in 2022.