PLASSCHAERT Emma

World Championships

Rank	Event	Year	Location
1	Laser Radial	2018	Aarhus, DEN
10	Laser Radial	2014	Santander, ESP

Class World Championships

Rank	Event	Year	Location
4	Laser Radial	2019	Sakaiminato, JPN
9	Laser Radial	2020	Melbourne, VIC, AUS
17	Laser Radial	2017	Medemblik, NED

Class European Championships

Rank	Event	Year	Location
3	Laser Radial	2019	Porto, POR
3	Laser Radial	2018	La Rochelle, FRA
10	Laser Radial	2020	Gdansk, POL

World Cup

Rank	Event	Year	Location
1	Laser Radial	2020	Enoshima, JPN
1	Laser Radial	2018	Marseille, FRA
2	Laser Radial	2018	Miami, FL, USA
2	Laser Radial	2018	Gamagori, JPN
3	Laser Radial	2019	Enoshima, JPN
3	Laser Radial	2016	Melbourne, VIC, AUS
4	Laser Radial	2017	Santander, ESP
6	Laser Radial	2017	Miami, FL, USA
9	Laser Radial	2021	Medemblik, NED
9	Laser Radial	2017	Hyeres, FRA
16	Laser Radial	2018	Hyeres, FRA
19	Laser Radial	2019	Miami, FL, USA

Reading, spending time with family and friends, playing piano. She is a classically trained pianist. (laserinternational.org, 05 Nov 2018; ISAF, 20 Feb 2020; LinkedIn profile, 01 Jan 2020)

Athlete, Student

Geodetics, Geography, Surveying - University of Ghent, Belgium

Partner Matthew Wearn

Dutch, English, French

VVW Inside-Outside Oostende [Belgium]

Mark Littlejohn [personal], GBR, from 2019

Her partner Matthew Wearn has sailed internationally for Australia in the Laser class. He won silver at the class world championships in 2020 and 2019, and at the 2018 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark. Her father has served as president of Watersport Oostende Spuikom [WOS] sailing club in Belgium. (hln.be, 10 Aug 2018; dezondag.be, 02 Dec 2018; blitsmagazine.be, 01 Mar 2020)

She took up sailing at age six. She began in the Optimist class, then sailed in Europe boats before moving to Laser Radial at age 17. (blitsmagazine.be, 01 Mar 2020; laserinternational.org, 05 Nov 2018; dezondag.be, 02 Dec 2018)

Her parents were active in a local sailing club, so she grew up around the sport. "My father Bart was involved in sailing and what started as a hobby grew into a passion. As soon as I was able to swim I was allowed to take it up." At age 17 she was invited by national coach Wil van Bladel to form a team with fellow Belgian sailor Evi van Acker. "I have to be grateful to our coach for that opportunity. Before, sailing was entertainment for me, just like playing the piano. I was not thinking of a professional career. But seeing Evi awakened something in me." (aserinternational.org, 05 Nov 2018; heroos.be, 01 Jan 2016; destreekkrant.be, 01 Jan 2014; Varen Magazine, 01 Aug 2011)

To compete at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. (blitsmagazine.be, 01 Mar 2020)

Winning gold in the Laser Radial class at the 2018 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark. (dezondag.be, 02 Dec 2018; blitsmagazine.be, 01 Mar 2020)

Belgian heptathlete Nafissatou Thiam. (dezondag.be, 02 Dec 2018)

In 2019 and 2013 she was named Female Athlete of the Year in Oostende, Belgium. (blitsmagazine.be, 01 Mar 2020; emmaplasschaert.be, 16 Mar 2014)

She was named Rookie of the Tournament at the 2013 Laser Radial World Championships in Rizhao, People's Republic of China. (nieuwsblad.be, 11 Oct 2013; emmaplasschaert.be, 09 Oct 2013)

She was named 2011 Talent of the Year in Belgium. (Varen magazine, 01 Mar 2012)