2024 Stockholm Diamond League: Femke Bol wins 400m hurdles in Olympic season opener
The Femke Bol-Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone 400m hurdle showdown is officially underway this season in athletics.
After the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder McLaughlin-Levrone set a world lead time of 52.70 on Friday (31 May) in her season debut in the 400m hurdles, her Dutch rival clocked a 53.07 on Sunday (2 June) to claim the crown at the Stockholm Diamond League stop.
It was also a season debut for Bol, who finished strong to beat Jamaicans Rushell Clayton (53.78) and Andrenette Knight (54.62), who went two-three.
The 24-year-old Bol won the bronze at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, before going on to claim the world title at Budapest last season in McLaughlin-Levrone's absence.
"I did the race kind of like I wanted to, so I'm happy," Bol told Olympics.com.
It's her first big step towards the coming Olympic Games Paris 2024 after claiming the 400m indoor title in early March and helping the Dutch mixed 4x400m relay team to secure an Olympic quota spot at last month's World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas.
"I'm super excited about Paris," she added. "I try to not get it too much in my mind because I think it can be a bit of pressure and not make me enjoy it as much. So I just try to enjoy every race I do as we get closer. I want to be ready when I'm going there. It's something big and amazing. I can't wait to be there."
Femke Bol on Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: 'It's amazing to be a part of amazing duels'
Bol was third in Tokyo behind McLaughlin-Levrone and Dalilah Muhammad as McLaughlin captured gold in world record time (51.46). Bol then claimed silver at Worlds in 2022 as McLaughlin became the first woman to go sub-51 in the event (50.68).
The Dutchwoman says she'll stay focused on her own progression as the Paris Games draw closer. She's next due to compete at next week's (7-12 June) European Championships in Rome.
"I think it's amazing to be a part of amazing races and duels," she said when asked about McLaughlin-Levrone. "It makes me so excited. It's something special to be in this [400m hurdles] era on the men's and women's sides. I know that when I'm [in Paris] I will have done everything possible to be the best one that I can be. And then we will see what it brings out.
"I'm so excited for it."