Bol breaks world indoor 400m record with 49.24 in Apeldoorn

Femke Bol flew to another world record at the Dutch Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, returning to the scene of her historic 49.26 run 12 months ago to further improve the world indoor 400m record to 49.24* and retain her national title on Sunday (18).

After opening her season with 49.69 in Metz at the start of this month, the 23-year-old improved to 49.63 in Lievin and then eased to a heat win in 50.55 in Apeldoorn on Saturday, looking like she still had plenty to give.

She proved that was the case on Sunday, cruising through 200m in the lead in 23.64 – compared to 23.63 during her 49.26 world record – and then powering over the finish line in 49.24 to dip under 50 seconds indoors for the sixth time of her career so far.

Bol now holds six of the 12 fastest indoor 400m times in history.

She was followed by Lieke Klaver, who set a PB of 50.10 - a time that moves her to ninth on the world indoor all-time list.

“I never get used to it, especially with all these people cheering on home soil,” Bol said in her trackside interview. “It’s a dream come true to run another world record and it’s wonderful to have all these Dutch fans enjoying the most beautiful sport in the world.”

The world 400m hurdles champion will now head to the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 on the hunt for her first world indoor title.

*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

At the Asian Indoor Championships in Tehran (17-19), Iran's Fasihi Farzaneh clocked a national record of 7.20 to equal the championship record in the women's 60m, winning ahead of Kazakhstan's Olga Safronova (7.35). 

Oman's Ali Anwar Ali Al Balushi won the men's 60m in 6.52 ahead of Shuhei Tada (6.56) and Jo Kum Ryong (6.66). They had all been in national record form earlier in the competition, Al Balushi winning his semifinal in 6.50, Tada winning his semifinal in an equal national record of 6.53 and Jo winning his heat in 6.60.

The men's 800m final was also led by national records, Ebrahim Alzofairi of Kuwait winning in 1:46.80 ahead of Iran's Sobhan Ahmadi in 1:47.04.

The 60m hurdles titles were won by India's Jyothi Yarraji in 8.12 and Kazakhstan's David Yefremov in 7.60, just 0.01 off the national record he set to win his heat at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Astana.

China's Su Wen claimed the men's triple jump title with a leap of 16.74m, while the women's pole vault was won by Li Ling with a 4.51m clearance. Kazakhstan's Yelizaveta Matveyeva won the women's high jump from China's Shao Yuqi as they both cleared 1.86m.

At the Italian Indoor Championships in Ancona, Andy Diaz was a single centimetre off his world triple jump lead with the leap of 17.60m that secured him the national title. 

Diaz surpassed 17.30m with three of his jumps, soaring 17.32m in the first round, 17.48m in the second and then 17.60m in the sixth.

Emmanuel Ihemeje was runner-up with 17.03m.

The shot put battle between Leonardo Fabbri and Zane Weir was won by European indoor champion Weir as he threw 21.69m to win over the world silver medallist, who had a best of 21.07m.

Zaynab Dosso ran the third-fastest 60m of her career – a meeting record of 7.06 – to regain the national title. Chituru Ali won the men’s 60m ahead of Samuele Ceccarelli - 6.57 to 6.66.

In the women’s high jump, 18-year-old Aurora Vicini cleared 1.92m to win and improve the national U20 indoor record that had been set by Alessia Trost in 2012.

In Bergamo, 14-year-old Kelly Ann Maevane Doualla Edimo set an Italian U20 60m record of 7.27 after running 7.34 – which also improved the previous record of 7.35 set in 2002 – in the heats.

Jemma Reekie’s 1:58.24 800m highlighted the second day of the UK Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

Securing her place on the host nation team for the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, taking place 1-3 March, world fifth-place finisher Reekie broke the championship record with a performance that is the second quickest in the world so far this year.

Her fellow Scot Laura Muir won the 3000m in 8:58.80. Taking the lead with 400m to go, she continued to pick up the pace and won by more than three seconds.

A late surge secured Piers Copeland the men’s 1500m title. In third place off the final bend, he passed Adam Fogg and Callum Elson via a gap on the inside and clinched the win in 3:48.43.

Laviai Nielsen won the 400m in 51.54 ahead of her twin sister Lina in 51.95.

Scott Lincoln threw 20.08m in the first round to take the shot put title and followed it with 19.86m in the second round and 19.71m from his last attempt.

The women’s title was secured by Amelia Campbell as she won by more than a metre with 17.74m. In the same competition, two-time world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson threw an indoor PB of 13.29m.

At the French Indoor Championships in Miramas, Wilhem Belocian won a competitive men’s 60m hurdles final, pipping Just Kwaou-Mathey by 0.01 - 7.44 to 7.45.

Thibaut Collet cleared 5.76m to win the pole vault over Anthony Ammirati with 5.70m, while Jean-Marc Pontvianne won the triple jump with 16.71m.

Amandine Brossier claimed the women’s 400m title in 51.69 and Thomas Jordier won the men's final in a 46.06 PB. 

Benjamin Robert claimed the men's 800m in 1:50.87.

A day after winning the 3000m at the Spanish Indoor Championships in Ourense, Adel Mechaal won the 1500m in 3:43.37, while Esther Guerrero won the women’s race in 4:21.81.

Asier Martinez claimed the 60m hurdles title in 7.53 and Mariano Garcia won the 800m in 1:47.27 from Mohamed Attaoui and Adrian Ben.

Ana Peleteiro won the triple jump with 14.32m.

Continuing her comeback at the German Indoor Championships in Leipzig, Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo soared 6.93m to win the long jump, matching her winning mark at the German Championships in July where she sustained an injury that ended her season.

Mikaelle Assani was second with an equal PB of 6.91m.

Rebekka Haase and Gesa Felicitas Krause both completed doubles as Haase followed her 60m win with 200m victory in 23.15 while Felicitas Krause took the 1500m title in 4:24.31 after her 3000m win.

Marius Probst won the men’s 1500m in a championship record of 3:36.36, while Jean Paul Bredau also set a championship record in the 400m of 45.95. 

In the men’s 60m hurdles at the Polish Indoor Championships in Torun, Jakub Szymanski won in 7.50 ahead of Krzysztof Kiljan with a 7.59 PB and Damian Czykier with 7.60. Piotr Lisek soared 5.80m to win the pole vault.

Jason Joseph powered to a 7.43 60m hurdles win at the Swiss Indoor Championships in St. Gallen, beating decathlete Simon Ehammer who clocked a PB of 7.55. 

Heptathlete Annik Kalin followed her long jump win (6.76m) on Saturday with a PB of 7.99 to win the 60m hurdles.