Femke Bol leads the women's relay team into the 4x400 meter final
Femke Bol led the 4x400 meter relay team to the final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow. An acceleration in the last 200 meters was enough to win the first series in a time of 3:27.70. The final will take place on Sunday evening.
49.17 400m world record 🤯
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) March 2, 2024
It's Femke Bol's world and we're all living in it 🌏#WorldIndoorChamps pic.twitter.com/ewDM0v0jDi
Bol won gold in the 400 meter individual medley on Saturday evening in a world record time of 49.17. Coach Laurent Meuwly decided not to give her a break, fearing that a place in the final could not be achieved without her. Lieke Klaver, who won silver in the individual, did not have to compete.
The young Myrthe van der Schoot was the starting runner. She kept up well as well as second runner Eveline Saalberg. At the baton handover, however, the third runner Lisanne de Witte was in last place. In the last few meters, she moved up to third place and positioned Bol in a seat. Behind the American Bailey Lear and the Belgian Cynthia Bolingo, the Amersfoort native calmly waited for her moment to accelerate. However, Bol was able to finish first for the Dutch team on the second lap, NU. nl reported. She did that on the last bend. She raced past the two athletes with big strides.
Just another Sunday jog for Femke Bol 😮💨
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) March 3, 2024
The Dutch 4x400m team easily qualifies for the final with 3:27.70.#WorldIndoorChamps pic.twitter.com/TtGUigbRNK
The women's relay team is going for gold on Sunday. The team won silver at the World Championships in Belgrade two years ago. Last summer, Bol, Klaver, Saalberg, and Cathelijn Peeters won the world championship title in the 4x400 meters outdoors in Budapest. This earned the athletes the Sports Team of the Year award.
Reporting by ANP and NL Times