▁ending ▁the ▁six ▁consecutive ▁titles ▁for ▁Edd y ▁Mer ck x . ▁ ▁He ▁tried ▁his ▁hand ▁at ▁other ▁sports ▁like ▁s occer , ▁basketball ▁and ▁especially ▁j udo ▁before ▁starting ▁with ▁athlet ics . ▁He ▁quit ▁as ▁a ▁jud oka ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 5 ▁years ▁old ▁with ▁a ▁brown ▁bel t ▁when ▁his ▁father ▁founded ▁Wil rijk ▁At let iek ▁Club , ▁an ▁athlet ics ▁club . ▁After ▁trying ▁his ▁hand ▁at ▁the ▁j avel in , ▁he ▁switched ▁to ▁the ▁high ▁jump . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁he ▁jump ed ▁over ▁ 2 . 0 4 ▁meter ▁using ▁the ▁str addle ▁technique . ▁ ▁Only ▁sevent een ▁years ▁old , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁Championships ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁He ▁finished ▁as ▁ 8 th ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁European ▁Championships ▁in ▁Athletics ▁in ▁Rome . ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁saw ▁him ▁be ak ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁ind oor ▁record ▁with ▁ 2 . 2 1 ▁meter ▁and ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁out door ▁record ▁with ▁ 2 . 2 4 ▁meter . ▁After ▁winning ▁bronze ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁European ▁Ind o ors , ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Montreal , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁comp ete ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁last ▁minute ▁kne e ▁injury . ▁An ▁operation ▁on ▁his ▁kne e ▁failed , ▁and ▁his ▁sports ▁career ▁was ▁over ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁only ▁ 2 3 ▁years