View source for Jef Scherens

{{short description|Belgian cyclist}}
{{Infobox cyclist
| name = Jef Scherens
| image = Jef Scherens.jpg
| fullname = Joseph Scherens
| nickname = Poeske Scherens
| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|2|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Werchter]], [[Belgium]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1986|8|9|1909|2|17}}
| death_place = [[Leuven]], Belgium
| height = 
| weight = 
| discipline = Track
| role = Rider
| ridertype = Sprint
| amateuryears1 = 
| amateurteam1 = 
| proyears1 = 
| proteam1 = 
| majorwins = '''[[Belgian National Track Championships|National Track Championships]]'''
:[[Sprint (track cycling)|Sprint]] (1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947)
'''[[UCI Track Cycling World Championships|World Track Championships]]'''
:[[Sprint (track cycling)|Sprint]] ([[1932 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1932]], [[1933 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1933]], [[1934 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1934]], [[1935 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1935]], [[1936 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1936]], [[1937 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1937]], [[1947 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1947]])
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry| {{BEL}} }}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[track cycling]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UCI Track Cycling World Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1932 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1932 Rome]]| Sprint}}
{{MedalGold| [[1933 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1933 Paris]]| Sprint}}
{{MedalGold| [[1934 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1934 Leipzig]]| Sprint}}
{{MedalGold| [[1935 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1935 Brussels]]| Sprint}}
{{MedalGold| [[1936 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1936 Zürich]]| Sprint}}
{{MedalGold| [[1937 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1937 Copenhagen]]| Sprint}}
{{MedalGold| [[1947 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1947 Paris]]| Sprint}}
{{MedalSilver| [[1938 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1938 Amsterdam]]| Sprint}}
{{MedalBronze| [[1931 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|1931 Copenhagen]]| Sprint}}
}}

'''Joseph "Jef" Scherens''' (17 February 1909 &ndash; 9 August 1986), better known as '''Poeske Scherens''', was a [[Belgium|Belgian]] professional [[track cyclist]], specializing in sprint where he won seven [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships - Men's Sprint|World Championships]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=19 December 2022 |title=Poeske Scherens |url=https://www.erfgoedcelleuven.be/nl/poeske-scherens |website=erfgoedcelleuven.be |language=nl}}</ref>

== Biography ==

=== Early life ===
Jef Scherens was born in [[Werchter]], the fifth child of the Felix Scherens-Regina Janssens family. Little Jef soon became 'Jefke', but also 'Poeterke'. In the [[Hageland]], that was a name for a little goat or lamb that did not grow well. His fellow street rabble-rousers first distorted it into 'Poeter', which later became 'Poeske' (Flemish for "small cat"). When Jef Scherens later turned out to be a very fast sprinter with a cat-like final jump, that nickname was given existence.

From the age of five until the end of WWI, young Jef stayed with his family near Bordeaux, where he learned to speak French. At the end of primary school, the Committee for Vocational Orientation recommended that Jefke would go to work. So it happened: Jef worked in a leather factory and cycled up and down to Zaventem every day in group. That gave him the idea of trying out as a cyclist. His brother Giel, who was one year older, competed in the rookies. With one of his two racing bikes, Jef made his debut in a race in Betekom in 1926. That same year he won six victories and numerous places of honour. In 1927, he joined the [[Leuven]] Stoempersclub and won forty races in the newcomers' category. Because of the many successes, he decided to quit his job and put everything on cycling. The following year, he won 27 times among the juniors. In particular, his sprinting skills came to the fore.

=== Professional career ===
His qualities as a sprinter did not go unnoticed and the team's president Edward Van Hove, offered him a contract to compete in a sprint competition at the Brussels Sports Palace. On 14 October 1928, Scherens won against the then Belgian champion Jules Vervust. All connoisseurs were then convinced they had discovered a new champion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Joseph "Jef" SCHERENS |url=http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.eu/palmares/scherens_joseph.php |accessdate=31 December 2021 |work=Memoire-du-cyclisme.eu |language=fr}}</ref>

In 1929, he won five road races. That year, he did his military service and was granted the privilege of training at certain times. A fall in 1930 kept him in bed for seven weeks.

In 1931, he made a comeback and became Belgian champion in the professional category. Between 1931 and 1947, he won the Belgian individual sprit championship 15 times.

In 1932, Scherens competed in the world championship in Rome and faced the Frenchman [[Lucien Michard]] in the final. Their duel lasted more than 20 minutes, however, so the jury decided to draw lots to see which of the two would go first. Michard was chosen and Scherens, with his famous spurt, won the title of world champion. He was celebrated in Leuven, where he had lived since 1930. He subsequently won the world track championships five times: in 1933 in Paris, in 1934 in Leipzig, in 1935 in Brussels, in 1936 in Zurich and in 1937 in Copenhagen. In July 1938, he had a serious fall during the Paris Grand Prix at the Cipale2. Not yet fully recovered from his fall, he lost his title to the Dutchman [[Arie van Vliet]].

Van Vliet and Scherens met again a year later in the final in Milan and both fell. The final was postponed. The next day, the Second World War broke out and the championship was cancelled.

After a six-year break, the world championships were held again in Zurich in 1946. Scherens lost to the Frenchman [[Georges Senfftleben]]. The following year, he managed to win a seventh and final title in Paris.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Jef Scherens |url=https://firstcycling.com/rider.php?r=41566 |website=FirstCycling.com |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Grand Prix van Amsterdam, Bestanddeelnr 902-2523.jpg|thumb|260px|1947 Grand Prix of Amsterdam, Scherens balancing next to [[Georges Senfftleben]]]]
Scherens also won numerous Grand Prix in various countries, breaking records at all the major velodromes in Europe. In 1933, he was awarded the [[Belgian National Sports Merit Award]].

Since 1963, the [[Grote Prijs Jef Scherens|Grote Prijs Jef Scheren]] has been held in his honour in Leuven, the place where he died in 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 December 2022 |title=Grote Prijs Jef Scherens |url=https://www.gpjefscherens.be/ |website=gpjefscherens.be |language=nl}}</ref>

== Major Results ==

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
; 1929
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint, Independent [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
; 1930
:3rd [[File:Bronze medal blank.svg|15px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
; 1931
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st Grand Prix d'Angers
:1st Grand Prix de la République
:1st Grand Prix de Cholet
:3rd [[File:Bronze medal uci.svg|15px]] [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint|Sprint]], [[1931 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track World Championships]], Copenhagen
; 1932
:1st [[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px|alt=|link=Rainbow jersey]] [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint|Sprint]], [[1932 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track World Championships]], Rome
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st [[Grand Prix de Paris (cycling)|Grand Prix de Paris]]
:1st Amsterdam Grand Prix
:1st Berlin Grand Prix
:1st Brussels Grand Prix
:1st Copenhagen Grand Prix
:1st Grand Prix de Tours
:2nd [[Grand Prix de l'UVF]]
; 1933
:1st [[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px|alt=|link=Rainbow jersey]] [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint|Sprint]], [[1933 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track World Championships]], Paris
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st [[Grand Prix de l'UVF]]
:1st [[Grand Prix de Paris (cycling)|Grand Prix de Paris]]
:1st Grand Prix d'Europe
:1st Grand Prix d'Alger
:1st Grand Prix d'Angers
:1st Grand Prix d'Europe
:1st Grand Prix de Paris
; 1934
:1st [[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px|alt=|link=Rainbow jersey]] [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint|Sprint]], [[1934 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track World Championships]], Leipzig
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st [[Grand Prix de l'UVF]]
:1st Grand Prix de Lorient
:1st Copenhagen Grand Prix
:1st Grand Prix de Lyon
:1st Grand Prix de Roanne
; 1935
:1st [[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px|alt=|link=Rainbow jersey]] [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint|Sprint]], [[1935 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track World Championships]], Brussels
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st [[:fr:Grand Prix de Reims (cyclisme)|Grand Prix de Reims (fr)]]
:1st Grand Prix d'Europe
:1st Grand Prix de Brest
:1st Grand Prix de Lorient
:1st Milan Grand Prix
:3rd [[Grand Prix de l'UVF]]
; 1936
:1st [[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px|alt=|link=Rainbow jersey]] [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint|Sprint]], [[1936 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track World Championships]], Zürich
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st Grand Prix de Genève
:1st Copenhagen Grand Prix
:1st Cologne Grand Prix
:1st Grand Prix de Lorient
:1st Zürich Grand Prix
: 2nd [[Grand Prix de Paris (cycling)|Grand Prix de Paris]]
: 2nd [[Grand Prix de l'UVF]]
:3rd [[:fr:Grand Prix de Reims (cyclisme)|Grand Prix de Reims (fr)]]
; 1937
:1st [[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px|alt=|link=Rainbow jersey]] [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint|Sprint]], [[1937 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track World Championships]], Copenhagen
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
: 1st [[Grand Prix de Paris (cycling)|Grand Prix de Paris]]
:1st [[:fr:Grand Prix de Turin|Grand Prix de Turin (fr)]]
:1st Antwerp Grand Prix
:1st Berlin Grand Prix
:1st Copenhagen Grand Prix
:1st London Grand Prix
:1st Milan Grand Prix
:1st Grand Prix de Paris
: 3rd [[Grand Prix de l'UVF]]
; 1938
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st London Grand Prix
:1st Milan Grand Prix
:2nd [[File:Silver medal uci.svg|15px]] [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint|Sprint]], [[1931 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track World Championships]], Amsterdam
: 2nd [[Grand Prix de l'UVF]]
: 2nd Copenhagen Grand Prix
; 1939
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st Copenhagen Grand Prix
; 1940
:2nd [[File:Silver medal blank.svg|15px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
: 2nd [[Six Days of Brussels]] (with [[Achiel Bruneel]])
; 1941
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st Ghent Grand Prix
:1st Grand Prix de Bordeaux
: 2nd Schaarbeek
; 1942
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
: 1st [[Grand Prix de l'UVF]]
: 3rd [[Grand Prix de Paris (cycling)|Grand Prix de Paris]]
; 1943
1st Ghent Grand Prix
:2nd [[File:Silver medal blank.svg|15px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
: 2nd [[Grand Prix de Paris (cycling)|Grand Prix de Paris]]
; 1944
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
; 1945
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st Zürich Grand Prix
; 1946
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:1st Copenhagen Grand Prix
:1st Grand Prix de Bruxelles
: 3rd [[Grand Prix de Paris (cycling)|Grand Prix de Paris]]
; 1947
:1st [[File:MaillotBélgica.svg|20px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]], Paris
; 1949
:1st Grand Prix de Paris
:2nd [[File:Silver medal blank.svg|15px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
:3rd [[File:Bronze medal europe.svg|15px]] 1km Sprint [[UEC European Track Championships|European Track Championships]]
; 1950
:3rd [[File:Bronze medal blank.svg|15px]] Sprint [[Belgian National Track Championships|Belgian National Championships]]
{{div col end}}

== Honours ==

* Officer in the Belgian [[Order of Leopold II]]: 1933<ref name=":0" />
* [[Belgian National Sports Merit Award]]: 1933<ref name="eurosport42">{{cite web |title=Red Lions volgen Nina Derwael op met winst van Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste |url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20191107_04705232 |publisher=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |publication-date=7 November 2019}}</ref>
* [[Grote Prijs Jef Scherens]]: from 1963<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 October 2022 |title=Leuven in de ban van vernieuwde GP Jef ‘Poeske’ Scherens: "De weerstand tegen de nieuwe naam Tour of Leuven–Memorial Jef Scherens is stilaan verdwenen" |url=https://www.hln.be/leuven/leuven-in-de-ban-van-vernieuwde-gp-jef-poeske-scherens-de-weerstand-tegen-de-nieuwe-naam-tour-of-leuvenmemorial-jef-scherens-is-stilaan-verdwenen~ab6dc49d/ |website=[[Het Laatste Nieuws]] |language=nl}}</ref>
* [[UCI Hall of Fame]]: 2002{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}
* A road, Jef Scherensstraat in [[Rotselaar]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Jef Scherens}}
*{{cycling Archives|5303}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{UCI Track Cycling World Champions – Men's sprint}}
{{Belgian National Sports Merit Award}}
{{UCI Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scherens, Jef}}
[[Category:Belgian male cyclists]]
[[Category:UCI Track Cycling World Champions (men)]]
[[Category:1909 births]]
[[Category:1986 deaths]]
[[Category:Cyclists from Flemish Brabant]]
[[Category:People from Rotselaar]]
[[Category:Belgian track cyclists]]
[[Category:20th-century Belgian sportsmen]]