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Bol awaits rare battle with Muhammad at Diamond League after successful European Championship | NOW

Femke Bol will play at the Diamond League matches in Lausanne on Friday. The 22-year-old athlete will meet former world and Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad in the 400-meter hurdles for the fourth time in her career.

Bol wrote athletics history during the European Championships in Munich last week by becoming the first woman ever to win the European title in the 400 meters and 400 meters hurdles. In addition, the Amersfoortse won gold with the relay team in the 4×400 meters.

On Friday, Bol awaits an interesting battle with the 32-year-old American Muhammad. Like world record holder Sydney McLaughlin, he rarely competes in Europe and therefore almost never meets Bol. Reigning world and Olympic champion McLaughlin will not start in Lausanne.

During Bol’s World Cup debut in Doha in 2019, Bol and Muhammad faced each other for the first time. Muhammad ran a world record in 52.16 during that World Cup and was chased by her young compatriot McLaughlin, who finished in 52.23. Times that Bol could only dream of at the time. Now she has a personal best of 52.03.

The second meeting was at the Tokyo Olympics, where Muhammad took silver and Bol ran for bronze. Last month at the World Championships in Eugene, Bol managed to beat Muhammad for the first time and took silver. McLaughlin ran a world record (50.68) in this World Cup final.

Femke Bol and Dalilah Muhammad during the final of the 400 meters hurdles at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.


Femke Bol and Dalilah Muhammad during the final of the 400 meters hurdles at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Femke Bol and Dalilah Muhammad during the final of the 400 meters hurdles at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Photo: AP

Hassan also in action at the Diamond League

Two-time Olympic champion Sifan Hassan will be at the start of the 3,000 meters on Friday evening. She was missing during last week’s European Championship.

The 29-year-old Hassan ran the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the World Championships in Eugene, but did not win any medals there. At the beginning of this month, she did win the 3,000 meters at the Diamond League in Chorzów, Poland.

Lieke Klaver competes in Lausanne in the 400 meters and Nadine Visser competes in the 100 meters hurdles. Nick Smidt is on the starting list of the men’s 400 meter hurdles.

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