by Larry Eder
Anyone who thinks that the Femke Bol vs Sydney McLaughlin battle, over 400m or 400m hurdles, will not be a highlight of the entire Olympic Games in Paris is, well, just wrong.
We have two of the finest athletes, male or female in sports, competing at the very same time. Sydney McLaughlin is a World Champion, Olympic champion, and World record holder. Femke Bol is the European Champion at 400m hurdles, 400 meters and World Champion at 4x400m relay.
Femke Bol has opened the season with a fine double!
Bol super double 49.69 and 22.64
METZ (FRA, Feb 3): World champion Femke Bol provided the best performance at the Meeting Metz Moselle Athlélor (WIT Silver), running 49.69 for 400m. That is the equal sixth fastest time indoors and the fastest season opener in history. She will race the distance again at Lievin (WIT Gold) next Saturday. She returned to run 22.64 PB in the 200m an hour later. Lieke Klaver won her 400 m race in 51.33 (over Amandine Brossier 51.67 PB) and also over 200 m 22.81 PB short track. Also second behind Bol was Andrea Miklos of Roumania in 51.41 PB. The best-ever double in one evening by Bol.
A close finish in the men’s 400m saw David Sombe win in 46.23 from Attila Molnar 46.24, but faster in B race Alexander Doom 45.89 MR/EL over Lionel Spitz 46.24. Other notable performances in Metz included Hirut Meshesha 8:28.46 WL in the women’s 3000m with an Irish Record 8:36.06 Irish Record for Sarah Healy in second. Yann Schrub won the men’s 3000m in 7:38.41 and an Italian Record for Pietro Arese in second at 7:38.42. Kenyan Vincent Keter won the 1500m in 3:34.80 PB whilst Ossama Meslek reclaimed his Italian Record 3:36.04 in second. Also, a South African Record for Tshepo Tshite was 3:36.92 in third. Sprint hurdle wins for Jamaican Damion Thomas 7.61 and Nadine Visser 7.80 EL in the B final after a false start in the heats. Tshepiso Masalela 1:45.56 MR (behind him Ali Gouaned NR for Algeria 1:46.34) and Halimah Nakaayi 1:59.15 WL won the 800m ahead of Jemma Reekie 1:59.42 EL. In the field, Leyanis Perez Hernandez of Cuba 14.45m WL in the triple jump (over Liadagmis Povea 14.20) and Chris Nilsen 5.82m in the pole vault. In the 200 m NR for Blessing Afrifa of Israel 20.72. Benjamin Robert achieved a French all-time best in the 600 m 1:15.50.
