Dutch record champion 400m hurdles world
The women's 400m final on the evening of August 24 took place in hot weather, with the temperature at the time of the competition being 27 degrees Celsius with a humidity of 53%. But Bol soon overcame and finished first with 51 seconds 70 to win the first world gold. She successfully changed the color of her 400m hurdles medal after winning a silver medal at Eugene 2022 and a bronze medal at Tokyo 2021.
World Athletics commented that this was an achievement that brought Bol both joy and relief. She was under a lot of pressure before the final night, when she fell right in front of the finish line and caused the Netherlands to miss the medal in the 4x400m medley relay on August 19.
"Of course everyone thought, in theory, I would be the winner," Bol said of receiving high expectations before the competition. "But what happened in the 4x400m medley relay shows that things are not so easy. When receiving the baton, many people thought the Netherlands would win the gold easily but it didn't happen. So I know I am. need to be strong and perform well."
Bol ran perfect momentum for Budapest 2023 when she won gold in the women's 400m event at the Dutch Indoor Athletics Championships in Apeldoorn with 49 seconds 26 seconds in February. She broke the old record of 49 seconds 59 held by the Czech athlete. Jarmila Kratochvilova set in March 1982 - the longest standing record in the men's and women's running events of world athletics before being broken.
After that, the Dutch athlete continued to shine on the outdoor track when winning the London Diamond League with 51 seconds 45, thereby setting the Diamond League and European records.
Shamier Little of the US finished second with 52 seconds 80 to win the second world silver medal in the 400m hurdles, after Beijing 2015. The bronze medal belonged to Rushell Clayton with 52 seconds 81, just behind fellow countryman Little 0. 01 second.
"This is the best run of my career," Clayton said. "When I won the bronze medal in Doha 2019, I felt everything was easier. Today, all the athletes were in very high form."
