Diamond LeagueFemke Bol goes undefeated in the 400 meters hurdles to the World Athletics Championships in Eugene. The bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics also convincingly won the Diamond League race in Stockholm.
She finished in 52.27, her best time of the year. It was also her best time ever in the Diamond League and she came close to her Dutch record of 52.03.
Jamaican Rushell Clayton finished well behind in second in 53.90. The third place went to Anna Rizhikova from Ukraine in 54.33.
Bol leaves for the World Championships in Eugene, USA, which start on July 15, as a candidate for a medal. Only one athlete was faster this year. American Sydney McLaughlin recently ran a world record of 51.41.
The Amersfoort athlete continued her winning streak in the Diamond League in Stockholm. She won all six races in the leading athletics competition series last year and is already on three wins this season (Rome, Oslo and Stockholm).
,,It was a good race, but not perfect yet”, said Bol shortly after her race. ,,I don’t remember everything about the race, but I do remember that the first five or six hurdles went really well and that I hit the last hurdle. I am therefore very happy with this time and I hope to show something very special in Eugene.”
Lieke Klaver second at 400 meters
Lieke Klaver also performed well. The Enkhuizense finished second in the 400 meters in 50.96. Eveline Saalberg, who, like Klaver, can compete individually at this distance at the World Cup, ran to fourth place in 52.92. Poland’s Anna Kielbasinska won in 50.60.
Joris van Gool was allowed to compete in the 100 meters. He filled in the place of Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs, who withdrew shortly before the race. Van Gool sprinted to sixth place in 10.38. South African Akani Simbine was the fastest in 10.02. Jessica Schilder was fourth in the shot put with a distance of 19.07. The American Chase Ealey was the only one to hit the 20 meters: 20.48.
Sprinters win gold at 4×100 meters
The Dutch sprint quartet has won the 4×100 meter relay at the Diamond League in Stockholm. The athletes Elvis Afrifa, Taymir Burnet, Joris van Gool and Raphael Bouju clocked 38.70 seconds.
That time was well above the Dutch record (37.91), but it was good for the win. Denmark’s team finished second in 39.26 and Finland third in 39.31.
The race in the Swedish capital served as preparation for the Dutch sprinters for the World Championships in Eugene, USA, which start in 2 weeks. The Athletics Union will use a total of five relay teams: the 4×100 for men and women, the 4×400 for men and women and the 4×400 mixed.
World record for Armand Duplantis
Armand Duplantis has broken his outdoor pole vault world record by 1 centimeter to 6.16 meters. The Swede reached this height in his second attempt at the Diamond League in Stockholm with a near-perfect jump. His old record of 6.15 was set in September 2020.
The 22-year-old Duplantis has jumped higher indoors. He set the official world record at 6.20 meters at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March. The Olympic champion was also present at the FBK Games in Hengelo this year. Then an attack on the world record failed due to rain.
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