Athletes Cathelijn Peeters from Den Bosch and Nina Franke from Heesch have nevertheless conquered gold at the European Indoor Athletics in Apeldoorn. Together with Lieke Klaver and Femke Bol, they were the fastest on the 4×400 meters. After the win, the Dutch team was disqualified due to hindering at a switch. TeamNL submitted protest. Successfully because the team can take a seat on the highest step of the stage. “This is very unrealistic, it’s a dream,” says Franke.
The relay women were too strong for the competition in an outrageous Omnisport Apeldoorn. With an enthusiastic King Willem-Alexander who saw a time of 3.24.34 in the stands: a Dutch record and the best time in the world this year.
The joy soon had to make way for disappointment because the team was disqualified. That was the result of a protest from the British team, explained technical director Vincent Kortbeek of the Athletics Union afterwards. Cathelijn Peeters is said to have stepped out of the track too quickly when the baton on Bol and the last British athlete has hindered.
“We did not agree with that explanation and the images also showed that she hardly got in the way. Fortunately the jury saw it that way and granted our protest,” said Kortbeek.
Nina Franke was a surprise in the Dutch athletics selection. The 22-year-old from Heesch was never in a big tournament before, but was allowed to run the European Championship final on Sunday evening and was therefore jointly responsible for gold. “I still can’t believe it,” she said just after winning the title.
“Walking the final and then winning, I still find unbelievable.”
“When I heard that I was allowed to start, switching and going. I was pretty nervous, but above all very enthusiastic to be allowed to walk. In my own country and then for this audience, a crazy house. Walking the final and then winning, I still find unbelievable. A dream, as if it isn’t really.”
And so again Brabant’s success. On Thursday evening, Eveline Saalberg from Vessem was part of the gold mixed relay team on the 4×400 meters. Together with Femke Bol, Nick Smidt and Tony van Diepen, she ran to the fastest time.
Read also
Individually, no medals were caught this tournament. At the 400 meters Saalberg did not reach the semi -final on Saturday. The Cathelijn Peeters, born in Dongen, did, but she was short of a final spot. On the 1500 meters, Marissa Damink from Roosendaal did not manage to penetrate the final a few days earlier.
The male people from Brabant could not break pots. Niels Laros did get the final day on the 3000 meters, but the 19-year-old Oosterhouter disappointed on Sunday. In the final phase the competition turned out to be too good and eventually finished eleventh of the twelve. On Thursday, Robin van Riel from Tilburg did not run to the final in the 1500 meters.
Waiting for privacy settings …