Femke Bol showed on Saturday in Poland that she is one of the absolute world top not only in the 400 meter hurdles but also in the 400 meter flat.
That’s a luxury problem for the versatile running prodigy. Will she go for gold in both disciplines next week during the European Championships in Munich? Or is that, besides the 4×400 meter relay, too much of a good thing?
It was not even surprising that Bol ran a new Dutch record in the 400 meters flat during the Diamond League in Silesia, Poland. Lieke Klaver had recently set that record at 50.18 at the World Cup in America, but her even faster compatriot opted for the 400 meter hurdles there. For that choice, Bol was rewarded with silver.
Price pack on a global level
Klaver was not present in Poland on Saturday and Bol once again showed that she is a phenomenon when it comes to completing one round on the athletics track. With her new national record of 49.75, she is the first Dutch woman ever to run under fifty seconds. And by this time, Bol had recently won bronze at the world championships. She is therefore a world prize winner in both the 400 meters hurdles and the 400 meters flat.
However, she does not yet have the world gold up for grabs, because there is currently a competitor from the outside category active in both parts. Shaunae Miller-Uibo (Bahamas) recently took the world title in the 400 meters in 49.11 and in the 400 meters hurdles Bol still has a big gap to close with the American Sydney McLaughlin.
Aim for the triple
The good news, however, is that the 22-year-old Amersfoortse could win gold in both individual numbers in Europe. And coincidentally – due to a complicated combination of circumstances – the European Championships are on the program next week. In theory, Bol can even win three golds there. The final of the 400 meter flat is Wednesday (August 17), the final of the 400 hurdles Friday (August 19) and the final of the 4×400 meter relay Saturday (August 20).
But the big question is whether the pursuit of the triple lead to overload, in the short or long term. And for winning gold for the Netherlands in the 400 meters flat, Bol’s participation may not be necessary at all, because Lieke Klaver is also one of the top favorites. But given the great competition from the Polish corner, it is better for the ‘national interest’ if Bol also runs the flat 400 meters ‘just to be sure’. A big advantage for Bol is that the top twelve of Europe in Munich only enter the semi-finals and not in the series. If she opts for the whole package, she does not have to walk eight but six times.
Bol herself and her coach Laurent Meuwley say that no decision has been made yet. “I don’t know yet,” said Bol just after her record race in Poland. “We also have a strong relay team and with that we want to do well after the disqualification in Eugene.” Coach Meuwley was just as vague: “We will think carefully in the coming days.”
The magical frontier in shot put
In any case, it is clear that Jessica Schilder is one of the favorites in the shot put at the European Championships. The 23-year-old Volendam came second in Poland on Saturday and set a national record for the sixth time this year. She recently hit 19.77 meters at the World Cup and now she has improved that record to 19.84. If she continues that progression, Schilder may well break through the magical 20-meter barrier during the European Championships in Munich.