Femke Bol wins the 400m hurdles in Hengelo (© Dan Vernon)
World indoor record-holder Femke Bol will look to transfer her sensational 400m form to the outdoor season and Lieke Klaver will test herself in the 200m when they race at the FBK Games, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event, in Hengelo on 4 June.
Bol scorched to a time of 49.26 at the Dutch Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn last month to break the almost 41-year-old world indoor record of 49.59.
The mark is faster than Bol's outdoor PB of 49.44 that she set to win the European title in Munich last year, part of a gold medal treble that also included titles in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m, and is a time that only 20 other athletes have ever beaten outdoors.
She went on to achieve a second consecutive golden double at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, winning the 400m in 49.85 and then anchoring the Netherlands team to 4x400m success in 3:25.66.
“I am very excited to be at the FBK Games again this year,” said 400m hurdles specialist Bol, who won world silver over the barriers in Oregon last year and claimed Olympic bronze in Tokyo. “This time even without hurdles, just like my first time running in the main programme.
“I can't wait to run again in a full stadium in the Netherlands with the help of my (Dutch) fans.”
World 400m fourth-place finisher Klaver claimed European indoor 400m silver behind Bol in Istanbul and joined her on the victorious 4x400m team. In Hengelo she takes on the 200m.
Lieke Klaver competes in Hengelo (© Dan Vernon)
“With Dutch athletics going so well right now, it will create a very nice atmosphere in the stadium, which will hopefully be sold out,” she said.
“It's great to race close to home for once and not have to travel so much. This means that all my friends can also come and watch. Almost all my training buddies also participate, which makes it a great experience to run together.”
The FBK Games is the eighth Gold level meeting of the 2023 World Athletics Continental Tour, which kicked off in Melbourne last month.
