Femke Bol and Sifan Hassan dominate at Fanny Blankers-Koen Games with record-breaking wins

Femke Bol and Sifan Hassan have won amid loud cheers at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games. Bol was the strongest in the 400 meters by force majeure, Hassan took the victory in the 1,500 meters with a powerful final sprint.

Bol ran apparently effortlessly to a time of 50.11. With that, the 23-year-old from Amersfoort pulverized the tournament record of the FBK Games, which stood at 50.88 seconds.

This season, Bol mainly focuses on the 400 meters hurdles, because of a new stride rhythm on which she is training, but for the tournament in Hengelo she decided to run the 400 meters without hurdles.

In that part, she caused a resounding surprise earlier this year by improving the ancient indoor world record. At the NK indoor she ran 49.26, more than half a second faster than the Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1982.

And also in a packed stadium in Hengelo, which went crazy at the sight of Bol with even a large banner on the stands, she left her competitors far behind. Number two Wadeline Jonathas crossed the finish line more than a second and a half later (51.74).

Hassan hadn’t made it easy for himself at the FBK Games. Less than 24 hours after crossing the finish line of the 10,000 meters, she was already at the start of her next distance: the 1,500 meters.

Still, she looked fresh and accelerated with one lap to go. Only Nelly Chepchirchir could follow her. After the last corner, Hassan accelerated again and that acceleration was too much for the Kenyan.

Hassan finished in 3:58.12, Chepchirchir crossed the finish line in 3:58.96.

Nadine Visser and Nick Smidt finished second in the 100 and 400 meters hurdles respectively. For Visser it was her first game of the season and she immediately came out strong.

The hurdle specialist was ahead for a long time and seemed to be heading for victory, but in the last meters she saw the American Nia Ali pass by. Still, there was something to cheer about, because her time of 12.71 seconds was more than enough for both a World Cup ticket and an Olympic starting ticket.

Smidt had to tolerate the American CJ Allen in the 400 meters hurdles. Allen’s winning time was 48.24. Smidt, who already ran the World Cup limit in Oordegem last week, clocked 49.17.