MUNICH, Germany (August 14) —— Femke Bol will tackle the 400m and 400m hurdles double here at the European Athletics Championships Munich 2022 this week and the Dutch star is looking forward to taking on the difficult challenge that could see her making history.
The championships will take place from 15-21 August and will live streamed on Eurovision Sport. Live radio streaming and live results and updates are also available. Please Click here for all the details. Read more: European Athletics Championships Munich 2022 women’s 10,000m start list
Bol recently clocked a national record of 49.75 seconds to win the women’s 400m in her first appearance in the discipline this outdoor season at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Silesia on 6 August.
Bol to dominate European Athletics Championships Munich 2022 women’s 400m Hurdles?
Her performance is the leading mark among European quarter milers in 2022 which adds to her Euro-topping 52.27 secs clocking in the hurdles and the 22-year-old has revealed that she is ready to attempt the rare combination over the open and barriers at the European Athletics Championships Munich 2022.
In her announcement to contest both the 400m and 400m hurdles here in Munich, Bol called the attempt “double trouble” but added that she is “excited” about the ambitious challenge.
Bol will aim to do something that no woman has achieved at the European Championships.
“I’m so excited to be running the 400 and the 400 hurdles at the European championship,” she said in an Instagram post.
“It’s going to be a tough week, but I’m up for the challenge.”
The Olympic 400m hurdles bronze medalist from Tokyo 2021 behind Americans Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad, improved on that podium spot at the World Athletics Championships 2022 in Oregon, last month when she collected the silver medal.
McLaughlin won the event again and dominated with a world record time of 50.68.
With the American hurdlers out the way, Bol is expected to win comfortably but the race for the other medals should be interesting.
Ukraine’s Anna Ryzhykova finished eighth in Oregon in 54.93 secs, but there are three other Europeans, besides Bol, with faster times than her in 2022. Read more: When is the European Championships Munich 2022 and how to watch?
Line Kloster (53.91) of Norway, Jessie Knight (54.09) of Great Britain, and Ukraine’s Viktoriya Tkachuk (54.24) have all gone quicker than Ryzhykova’s season-best of 54.33, while Spain’s Sara Gallego heads into the championships with a PB of 54.34.
Femke Bol vs Natalia Kaczmarek vs Lieke Klaver?
Meanwhile, in the open 400m, the race for the gold medal should be a lot closer with Bol expected to battle with the Polish stars and her fellow Dutch compatriot Lieke Klaver.
Bol smashed through the 50-second-barrier at the 2022 Silesia Wanda Diamond League meeting earlier this month with her Dutch record of 49.75, while Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek also dipped under 50 seconds in the race when she crossed the finish line in a personal best of 49.86.
Bol and Kaczmarek are the only women to have cracked 50 seconds for the 400m this season.
However, Klaver is also a strong gold medal contender, having finished fourth at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, and held the previous Dutch record at 50.18.
The 23-year-old is ranked No. 3 on the European top list this year and has also clocked times of 50.24 and 50.33 in the 400m.
Lithuanian Modesta Justė Morauskaitė (50.49), Rhasidat Adeleke (50.70) of Ireland, Briton Victoria Ohuruogu(50.72) and Poland’s Justyna Święty-Ersetic (50.74) are also potential podium contenders.
