Femke Bol finished third in her first 400-meter flat race in over a year on Tuesday. At the Golden Spike in Ostrava, Czech Republic, the Dutch athlete was no match for Salwa Eid Naser from Bahrain and American Lynna Irby-Jackson.
The 25-year-old Bol clocked 49.98, Irby-Jackson finished in 49.82, and Eid Naser won in 49.15. It is not surprising that the Amersfoort native had to concede the victory to Eid Naser. The Bahraini is the fastest woman so far in 2025 and one of the favorites for the world title in September in Tokyo. The last time Bol ran a 400-meter outdoors was on July 7, 2024. Then she clocked 50.02 in Hengelo.
For Bol, the 400 meters in Ostrava is part of a short detour. At the European Team Championships next weekend in Madrid, she will also run the 400 meters. After that, she will return to the 400-meter hurdles, the event in which she is the reigning European and world champion. In September, Bol hopes to win individual World Championship gold for the second time in Tokyo.
The hurdles specialist will likely face competition from reigning Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the Japanese capital.
Bol has never managed to beat the American world record holder (50.37). Bol’s top time in the 400-meter hurdles is 50.95. Her personal best in the 400 meters is 49.44. Bol does hold the world record in the 400 meters indoor (49.17).
Phijffers fourth in 400 meters men
Bol was not the only Dutchman in action at the Golden Spike in Ostrava on Tuesday. Jonas Phijffers, who earlier this month won the 400 meters at the FBK Games in 44.93, finished fourth in this distance in 45.13. The Belgian Daniel Segers won in 44.63.
Samuel Chapple could not keep up with the best in the 800 meters. The Dutch European indoor champion even finished ninth and last in 1.46.41. The victory went to the Australian Peter Bol in 1.43.80.