Femke Bol to switch focus from 400m hurdles to 800m next season

Femke Bol, the Netherlands sprint star and two-time world champion in the 400 metres hurdles, announced on Friday that she will stop racing hurdles for now and make the 800 metres her primary event beginning next season. In an Instagram video and post, the 25-year-old said the move is a deliberate next step in her career and described it as a significant, uncertain challenge she is eager to embrace.

"I'm really excited to share the next chapter of my career," Bol said in the video. "It's a big change, it's uncertain and challenging, but I'm ready to put in the work, surrounded by an amazing team, and enjoy this new journey." Team statements indicated the switch will be made with a structured training plan and support staff focused on converting her speed and endurance to a middle-distance program.

Bol has not raced the 800 metres since her junior years. World Athletics lists her 800m best as 2:19.51 from January 2017, when she was 15. As a professional her longest competitive distance has been 500 metres, where she set a world best of 1:05.63 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in 2023. Transitioning from the one-lap hurdles to a tactical two-lap race will require adjustments...