by Alfonz JuckFemke Bol is a total hurdle goddess. Last year, I believe that she set 12 separate Nrs at 400 meters and 400m hurdles. I have observed her racing for several years. I must say, that she kept her cool in the Olympic final last year was totally impressive. Her leg speed at 400 meters, her ability over the hurdles, and her relentless drive over those last 3 hurdles.
Femke Bol will have a busy year. Will she run 3 global champs or two? We know that she will be racing Diamond League meets, she smoked the DL last year.
The thing is this: Femke Bol is the kind of athlete who can surprise anyone.
Femke Bol, photo by European Athletics
Bol 50.72 WL in the season opener
METZ (FRA, Feb 12): At the Meeting Metz Moselle Athlelor (WIT Silver), Femke Bol opened her season with a world lead of 50.72 in the 400m and she also ran a lifetime best of 23.37 in her 200m race to beat Ajla Del Ponte in 23.68. In other races, Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek clocked 51.58 indoor PB in her first 400m of the year and Lieke Klaver won her 200m and 400m races in 23.27 and 52.49 respectively. There were also fast times in the 60m and 60m hurdles with Pascal Martinot-Lagarde improving his season’s best to 7.51 in the 60m hurdles to edge out teammate and European indoor champion Wilhem Belocian (7.52) and Spain’s Asier Martinez (7.55 PB) while Dutchwoman Zoe Sedney won the women’s 60m hurdles in 8.00 by a fraction from Laeticia Bapte in 8.02. In the 60m flat, Ivory Coast’s Arthur Cisse clocked a fast 6.53 (equaled NR) to beat American Cravont Charleston by 0.01 (Ferdinand Omanyala in heats Kenyan record 6.60) while teammate Kayla White won the women’s 60m in 7.13PB. Elsewhere on the track, Olympic finalist Liemarvin Bonevacia was the fastest in the men’s 400m with 46.41 and world indoor 1500m record-holder Samuel Tefera from Ethiopia won the 3000m in 7:37.45 PB from Kenya’s Daniel Simiyu (7:37.86 PB) and Yasin Haji 7:39.23 PB. Abel Kipsang topped the 1500 m in 3:36.23 indoor PB over Marcin Lewandowski 3:37.17 and Tedese Lemi 3:37.29. Another Kenyan Noah Kibet topped the 800 m in 1:46.06 PB (6th best U20 ever) ahead of Belgian Elliot Crestan 1:46.63. Swiss Lore Hoffmann won the women 800 m in 2:01.25 indoor PB. In field events, Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou was the only athlete to break eight metres in the long jump with 8.22m and Chris Nilsen cleared 5.91m in the pole vault.
