Experienced sprinters Dafne Schippers and Churandy Martina as well as rising star Femke Bol were named among the 24 athletes selected by the Netherlands to represent the country at the 2021 World Athletics Relays Silesia21, which will be staged from 1-2 May.
Schippers, the 2015 and 2017 world champion over the women’s 200 meters, headlines the women’s 4x100m relay squad that also includes reigning two-time European indoor 60m hurdles champion Nadine Visser. Jamile Samuel, Naomi Sedney, and Marije van Hunenstijn are the other members of the squad that will work together in hunting the Tokyo Olympic Games qualifying mark at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzow, Poland.
Meanwhile, Martina, a three-time European gold medalist, will race as part of the Dutch men’s 4x100m relay team that also includes Taymir Burnet, Christopher Garia, Hensley Paulina, and Joris van Gool.
Femke Bol who is coming off a double gold medal-winning display at the 2021 European Indoor Championships, will be hoping to lead her team to glory in the women’s 4x400m relay in Poland. Andrea Bouma, Laura de Witte, Lisanne de Witte, Marit Dopheide, Eva Hovenkamp, Lieke Klaver, and Eveline Saalberg are also members of the strong squad.
The squad will also compete in the men’s 4x400m events and the mixed 4x400m event.
Netherlands’ teams have already made the Olympic qualification standards in the men’s 4x100m and women’s 4x400m, and will now be looking to qualify the other teams at the 2021 World Athletics Relays Silesia21.
Netherlands team for 2021 World Athletics Relays Silesia21
WOMEN
4x100m: Jamile Samuel, Dafne Schippers, Naomi Sedney, Marije van Hunenstijn, Nadine Visser
4x400m: Femke Bol, Andrea Bouma, Laura de Witte, Lisanne de Witte, Marit Dopheide, Eva Hovenkamp, Lieke Klaver, Eveline Saalberg
MEN
4x100m: Taymir Burnet, Christopher Garia, Churandy Martina, Hensley Paulina, Joris van Gool4x400m: Terrence Agard, Ramsey Angela, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Jochem Dobber, Tony van Diepen, Nout Wardenburg
