Femke Bol in the running of being elected best athlete in Europe for the third time
Femke Bol is once again in the running to be elected European Athlete of the Year. The Amersfoort native is one of the three finalists for the election of the European Athletics Federation in Skopje (North Macedonia). Bol could become the first woman to win the honorary title three times. The awards gala starts at 8:00 p.m.
Bol has been a winner of prizes and records this year. She won two gold medals at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow (400 meters and 4x400 meters) and also two gold medals at the European Outdoor Championships in Rome (400 meters hurdles and 4x400 meters). At the Olympic Games in Paris, she won three Olympic medals: gold in the 4x400 meters mixed, silver in the 4x400 meters, and bronze in the 400 meters hurdles.
She also improved the world record in the 400 meters indoor (49.17) and the European record in the 400 meters hurdles (50.95). Bol ended the season with the Diamond League win.
Yaroslava Mayuchikh (Olympic high jump champion) and Britain's Keely Hodgkinson (Olympic 800 meters champion) are the remaining competitors in the running.
Furthermore, Niels Laros is on the shortlist for talents. The 19-year-old from Oosterhout finished sixth in the Olympic final of the 1500 meters in a European junior record (under 20) of 3.29.54. He also improved the world record for the 1000 meters for juniors to 2.14.37.
Reporting by ANP