Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas won the gold in 43.85, silver went to Anthony Zambrano from Colombia (44.08) and bronze went to Kirani James from Grenada (44.19).
Bonevacia stranded in the semi-finals at the 2012 and 2016 Games, but in Tokyo he surpassed himself by qualifying for the final with a Dutch record of 44.62.
,,It was good. I felt I was doing well. I was happy to be here in an Olympic final. Last? Why should that matter? This only gives motivation for Paris (the Olympic Games in 2024, ed.). This was the max and it is what it is. Thanks for the replies, I read them all. I love the Netherlands”, said Bonevacia afterwards at the US.
“I’m just a monster, I love it”
Shortly after, Bonevacia saw stars, he revealed before having to sit down. “Do you have some water? I am completely empty. The 400 meters is just sprinting and dying. Why is that fun? I’m just a monster, I love it. Tomorrow the relay. Yes man, I have a busy schedule.”
Check it out here full olympic program.
Femke Bol (right) helped the relay women with a great final shot to the final 4 x 400 meters.
Ⓒ RENE BUILDINGMAN
Femke Bol
Femke Bol is in great shape. She already proved that with her bronze medal in the 400 meters hurdles at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and she also showed it in the series of the 4×400 meters. The 21-year-old Amersfoortse led the team with a fabulous final round to the final on Saturday. Bol clocked a split time of 49.14.
For comparison, her Dutch record stands at 50.37. Of course there is a flying start in the relay, but with 49.14 she was by far the fastest of all runners in the 4×400 series. “It was great to compete at full throttle. I was allowed again and I am strong,” she said after the race. “I went like crazy, because I had to close a hole first. Our time was very good. We take 3 seconds off the previous Dutch record, which had been standing for six years. I don’t think we realize how hard we’ve run yet.”
Lieke Klaver and the sisters Lisanne and Laura de Witte ran to the best of their ability, but were unable to join the leading teams. Bol started her round in seventh place. She finished fourth. The time of the Netherlands was fifth overall, which resulted in a place in the final. Lisanne de Witte articulated the tactics of the relay quartet well. “The further ahead we are, the less Femke has to catch up. That’s our team. There are certainly still areas for improvement, especially my substitution was messy, but we can be very satisfied.”
Klaver and Bol already completed their fifth 400 meters in Tokyo. “For a fifth time this was very good. But if you train for 2 hours a day ten times a week, you should be able to run a competition 5 to 6 times. It’s also the only thing we work for,” says Klaver.
watch here the medal mirror.
