The World Athletics Indoor Championships are currently going on in Glasgow, Scotland. On the second day of the event, Dutch sprinter Femke Bol won the 400-meter event in 49.17.
With this win the athlete managed to lower her own world record set at the Dutch Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn by 0.07. On February 18 the athlete had shaved off hundreds of seconds off the world record she set last season to finish the race in 49.24 seconds.
Femke Bol from the Netherlands is winning gold in the 4×400 meters relay and the 400 meters, with … [+]
The 24-year-old Femke Bol was followed by her teammate Lieke Klaver (50.16). Alexis Holmes also managed to secure bronze for Team USA by clocking in 50.24 seconds while British sprinter Laviai Nielsen set her personal best time of 50.89 by crossing the line fourth.
After once again etching her name in track and field history, Bol revealed her main aim in the post-race interview. “It’s amazing to also run a world record again. I was hoping to be in the 49. My coaches thought I could do it, but I really wanted the gold,” the athlete stated. This win not only marks Bol’s first-ever gold at the World Indoor Championships but also makes her a potential champion on the track of Paris as well.
These consistent improvements in her performances come for Bol after facing a setback at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. While facing Alexis Holmes in the last lap of the 4x400m mixed relay, the sprinter faced a fall, leading the Netherlands to not finish the race. Lastly, the gold was secured by Team USA, led by Matthew Boling, Alexis Holmes, Justin Robinson, and Rosey Effiong.
Interestingly, this unfortunate event stirred up Bol’s unwavering passion as the athlete secured two golds on Budapest tracks afterward. Bol stated that the setback gave her fire as she reaffirmed herself that this one moment would not define her championship.
Certainly, the fire persists to remain ablaze as the sprinter continues to add staunch achievements to her ever-going hall of fame. However, the 2024 season also comes with a new competition for the Dutch athlete, as 400-meter American sensation Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will grace the spectators with her comeback.
Prior to the 2023 World Championships, McLaughlin-Levrone faced a minor knee issue and decided to withdraw from the event. The athlete is now expected to return to show her skills before the Olympics qualification, as she was spotted training with middle-distance runner Athing Mu.
USA’s Sydney Mclaughlin (R) crosses the finish line past USA’s Dalilah Muhammad (L) and Netherlands’ … [+]
At the 2020 Olympics, the two athletes faced each other in the 400-meter hurdles event. McLaughlin-Levrone managed to create history on the Tokyo tracks as she broke her own world record by 0.44 and finished the race in 51.46 seconds. On the other hand, Bol secured the third position by clocking in at 52.03. However, this year, the two athletes are expected to face each other in two events, as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made her 400-meter flat debut last season.