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6h ago

Femke Bol Confirms 800m Switch for 2026, Drawing Support From Keely Hodgkinson

She seeks a new challenge after years of titles in the 400m hurdles.

World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 - Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final - Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - September 21, 2025 Netherlands's Femke Bol celebrate after winning the bronze medal REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
Paris 2024 Olympics - Athletics - Women's 200m Final - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - August 06, 2024. Bronze medallist Brittany Brown of United States celebrates after the 200m final. REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
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Overview

  • Bol announced via Instagram that she will leave the 400m hurdles to make the 800m her primary event starting next season.
  • Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson welcomed the move on Instagram and praised it as brave in New York, where she closed her season by winning the Athlos 800m in 1:56.53.
  • Bol enters a deep two-lap field that includes world champion Lilian Odira and Olympic champion Hodgkinson, with recent winning times down to 1:54.62.
  • Her official 800m best is 2:19.51 from 2017 as a 15-year-old indoors, underscoring the scale of the transition.
  • Bol’s coach has signalled support for the plan, and coverage notes open questions about how the switch could affect her role on Dutch 4x400m relays.