Rutger Beke
Encyclopedia
Rutger Beke (Halle
, 8 August 1977) is a retired Belgian triathlete
living in Leuven
. Beke competed for the Uplace Pro Triathlon Team until he announced his retirement from professional triathlon on May 31, 2011.
Rutger Beke started competing in the sport of triathlon when he was 17. He performed well in several Ironman
races, including five top five placings in the Ironman Hawaii.
Beke became well-known because of his alleged EPO use. In 2004, he was tested positive in both his A- and B-sample for EPO
. He was suspended from competition for 18 months. In August 2005, the Commission reversed its decision and exonerated him based on scientific and medical information presented by Beke. He asserted that his sample had become degraded as a result of bacterial contamination
and that the substance identified by the laboratory as pharmaceutical EPO was, in fact, an unrelated protein
indistinguishable from pharmaceutical EPO in the test method. He claimed, therefore, that the test had produced a false positive result in his case.
In 2007, he was the 5th Belgian who won an Ironman, together with Luc Van Lierde
, Dirk van Gossum, Marino Vanhoenacker
and Gerrit Schellens.
Halle, Belgium
Halle , is a Belgian city and municipality in the district Halle-Vilvoorde of the province Flemish Brabant. The city is located on the Brussels-Charleroi Canal and on the Flemish side of the language border that separates Flanders and Wallonia...
, 8 August 1977) is a retired Belgian triathlete
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
living in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. Beke competed for the Uplace Pro Triathlon Team until he announced his retirement from professional triathlon on May 31, 2011.
Rutger Beke started competing in the sport of triathlon when he was 17. He performed well in several Ironman
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
races, including five top five placings in the Ironman Hawaii.
Beke became well-known because of his alleged EPO use. In 2004, he was tested positive in both his A- and B-sample for EPO
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
. He was suspended from competition for 18 months. In August 2005, the Commission reversed its decision and exonerated him based on scientific and medical information presented by Beke. He asserted that his sample had become degraded as a result of bacterial contamination
Contamination
Contamination is the presence of a minor and unwanted constituent in material, physical body, natural environment, at a workplace, etc.-Specifics:"Contamination" also has more specific meanings in science:...
and that the substance identified by the laboratory as pharmaceutical EPO was, in fact, an unrelated protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
indistinguishable from pharmaceutical EPO in the test method. He claimed, therefore, that the test had produced a false positive result in his case.
In 2007, he was the 5th Belgian who won an Ironman, together with Luc Van Lierde
Luc Van Lierde
Luc Van Lierde is an athlete from Belgium, who has been competing in triathlon since 1990.-Athletic career:Van Lierde's international career started in 1990 when he came fourth in the World Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships...
, Dirk van Gossum, Marino Vanhoenacker
Marino Vanhoenacker
Marino Vanhoenacker is a Belgian triathlete. On 3 July 2011, he broke the world record for the full triathlon at the Ironman Triathlon at Klagenfurt in Austria, finishing after 7 hours, 45 minutes and 58 seconds, beating Luc Van Lierde's 1997 time of 7h50m27s.-Biography:Marino Vanhoenacker was...
and Gerrit Schellens.
Results
- 2000: 1st in Belgian Olympic distance triathlon
- 2001: 1st in Belgian Olympic distance triathlon
- 2002: 1st in Belgian long distance triathlon
- 2002: 3rd in ITU World Championships - Nice
- 2003: 1st in Belgian Olympic distance triathlon
- 2003: 1st in Belgian long distance triathlon
- 2003: 3rd in IronmanIronman TriathlonAn Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
Florida - 2003: 2nd in Ironman Hawaii
- 2003: 2nd in ITU World Championships - Ibiza
- 2003: 2nd in Ironman Hawaii
- 2004: 1st in Belgian Olympic distance triathlon
- 2004: 5th in Ironman Hawaii
- 2005: 1st in Ironman 70.3Ironman 70.3An Ironman 70.3, also known as a Half Ironman, is one of a series of middle-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation . The "70.3" refers to the total distance in miles covered in the race, consisting of a swim, a bike ride, and a run...
Monaco - 2005: 4th in Ironman Hawaii
- 2006: 4th in Ironman Hawaii
- 2007: 1st in Ironman Arizona
- 2008: 3rd in Ironman Hawaii
- 2009: 1st in Ironman Cozumel