English: Tom Compernolle (Brugge, 13 November 1975 - Aartrijke, 16 June 2008) was a Belgian soldier and a distance and field athletic cursor. He often went to San Moritz in the SouthEast of Switzerland for his Summer stage in the Alps. Compernolle have several victories on his name . He won the Crosscup in 2000, and was in 2001, 2002, and 2004, Belgian champion on 5,000 m. In 2004, he was Belgian champion cross-country running. At the European championships on 5,000 m. he could place itself in the final. In 2002, he gained a thirteenth place, in 2006, a tenth.

Also he participated to the 5000 m. on the SummerOlympics of 2004 in Athens, but came back without medal.

Tom was born in Bruges and grow up in Beernem, he liked it a lot to cross in the Flamish Fields and in the Woods from the Bulskampveld in Beernem or the Piste of Thielt. He was in the Saint-Leocollege in Bruges and later he went for Cook-Pastry Baker. Tom Compernolle has been since October 2007 in the Belgian army. On 16 June 2008 in the evening,he got a deadly road accident, then he was in the West Flemish Aartrijke with three other soldiers with an Unimog Army Truck on an exercise. The other soldiers became only slightly wounded.

Only some days before, on June 14th, he had come in action during the game for the golden Spike in the Dutch city Leiden, where he on 3,000 m. a third gained place. It was its last action as an athlete.

Tom was a very loyal, friendly and nice young man. He left parents, fiancée, and his 7years old sun Mats. R.I.P. His dead let a lot of deep sadness and desolation in Belgium and in the athletic world.