Femke Bol feeling good at start of “double trouble” quest at the European Athletics Championships
The Dutch star is attempting a double in the 400m and the 400m hurdles in Munich as she seeks to become the first female runner to win both events at a major championship. She will also compete in the 4x400m relay.
Athletics
World silver medallist Femke Bol has begun a huge challenge, which she hopes will be another moment to showcase the best of her track athletics talent.
The Dutch athlete wants to become the first woman to win a women's 400m and 400m hurdles double at the European Athletics Championships Munich 2022.
“I know it's tough, what I'm going to do, and I don't know if it's going to work, but I decided to take the risk," she told Olympics.com.
"I feel good, I feel healthy, and I'm ready to put up a good competition.”
Bol began the unique quest by winning her 400m semi-final heat on Tuesday (16 August).
She is the top pick in the women’s 400m hurdles going by her personal best of 52.03 from the epic Tokyo 2020 Olympic final in 2021, when she picked bronze behind Americans Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad.
The 22-year-old Bol is the second fastest woman this season with a 52.27 from the stunning run in Eugene, where McLaughlin lowered her world record to 50.68.
Bol is also one of only two Europeans with a sub-50-second performance in the 400m. Her 49.72 is 0.11 faster than Polish runner Natalia Kaczmarek’s best. She is also in Munich.
The Netherlands star is aware of the huge task ahead but happy to chase the "double trouble" as she dubbed it on an Instagram post.
"The 400m and the 400m hurdles is a hard double," Bol said at media press conference ahead of the Championships.
"I’m not sure how often I will do it any more in my life, but I have the chance to do it right now."
No female has ever won both events at a major championships.
In recent years, World and Olympic champion Karsten Warholm contested the men's one-lap double at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin.
He won the 400m hurdles in a European U23 record time but faded to eighth in the 400m final.
Asked about her chances from his experience four years ago, the Norwegian answered: “Don’t remind me!”
But he was positive that the on-form Bol can achieve it as the schedule in Munich is also favourable.
"I love that she’s doing it. I think she can pull it off," Warholm said.
"You need to be very fit, and she is right now. The schedule is very good, so that will help. I think she can pull it off."
First for Bol in Munich was the 400m on Tuesday (August 16). She eased into Wednesday’s finals with a 50.60 win in her semi-final heat.
Poland's Anna Kielbasinkska was the fastest of the qualifiers with a 50.45 from the first semi while her compatriot Kaczmarek won the second in 50.40.
The women’s 400m hurdles semi-final is scheduled for Thursday with the final a day later.
Bol is aiming for a trio of medals from Munich, with the 4x400m relay heats on Friday morning ahead of the final on Saturday.