Femke Bol won the 400-meter hurdles for the 27th consecutive time in the Diamond League on Friday. The reigning world champion recorded a time of 51.95 in Monaco, the best world time of the year.
The 25-year-old Bol had a comfortable lead over American Dalilah Muhammad, who finished second in 52.58. Third place went to American Anna Cockrell in 52.91.
Bol had never been so fast around this time of year. She executed her race according to plan and came out of the final bend in first place. She increased her lead on the way to the finish.
The Amersfoort native had announced in advance that she was not yet in top form. The peak should come at the World Championships in Tokyo in September. Then she wants to attack her Dutch record of 50.95.
“Running in the 51 seconds is special, you don’t do that every day,” Bol said in a short interview after the finish. “Muhammad and Cockrell are strong runners, you can’t underestimate them. I knew those two would push me.”
Schilder wins in shot put
Jessica Schilder was the best in the shot put. The European champion celebrated her second success in the Diamond League. She won in China in April with a Dutch outdoor record of 20.47 meters. In Monaco she remained slightly below that with 20.39 meters.
The Volendam native recorded the best throw in her sixth and final attempt. She trumped, among others, the American Chase Jackson, who finished second with 20.06 meters. The Canadian indoor world champion Sarah Mitton finished third with exactly 20 meters.
Lieke Klaver finished fifth in the 400 meters in a season’s best time of 50.23. The European indoor champion gave up more than a second to Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic, who won in 49.06.