Femke Bol has sent quite the statement to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone after smashing her own European 400m hurdles record.
The 24-year-old Dutch athlete ran a staggering 50.95 at La Chaux-de-Fonds on Sunday, July 14 winning by over 50m to the rest of the field.
Bol hasn’t just lowered her European record of 51.65 – set at last year’s London Diamond League – but also recorded the third quickest time in history. Bol is set to return to London for the 2024 event this coming Saturday (July 20) too.
Only McLaughlin-Levrone, with her respective world records of 50.65 and 50.68, has gone quicker in the 400m hurdles.
To put Bol’s time into perspective, it would also qualify her for the Olympics in the 400m flat.
With McLaughlin-Levrone focusing on the 400m hurdles at the Games, it sets up a battle between two athletics superstars in Paris.
Bol has had an amazing season so far.
At the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, she claimed two golds in the 400m and 4x400m and set a world record over two laps indoors with 49.17.
Then, at the European Championships in Rome, Bol struck gold in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay. In the mixed 4x400m, she anchored the Dutch team to a bronze medal, having been given too much ground to make up on the anchor leg.
It’s the perfect preparation for the Olympics, where she aims to get that coveted gold medal. At Tokyo 2020, Bol finished third on the podium behind McLaughlin-Levrone and Dalilah Muhammad.
Source: AW
