Mar 01, 2024 at 10:38 PM Update: 2 hours ago
Sofie Dokter delivered the Netherlands its first medal at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow on Friday. The 21-year-old from Groningen took bronze in the pentathlon, which also meant her first place at a major title tournament.
After a good day, Doctor also started third in the final 800 meters. That is generally not her best part, but there was none of that on the court at the Emirates Arena. Doctor ran a personal top time of 2.11.89, making him the fastest. She scored a total of 4,571 points.
The gold medal went to the Belgian Norwegian Vidts with 4,773 points. The Finnish Saga Vanninen won silver with 4,677 points.
The Netherlands has several good all-around athletes among women. In 2021, Anouk Vetter won Olympic silver in the heptathlon at the Tokyo Games and Emma Oosterwegel also finished on the Olympic podium with bronze.
In Glasgow, both Vetter and Oosterwegel did not participate in the pentathlon. International top players such as the Belgian Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam, the British world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson and the American Anna Hall were also missing.
Sofie Dokter’s last meters on the final 800 meters. Photo: ANP
Doctor started the day with personal record
Despite the absence of many top players, Doctor was of course overjoyed when the bronze was won. She opened her all-around with a personal best of 8.29 seconds in the 60 meter hurdles. In the high jump she lost points with a mediocre 1.76 meters for her. The shot landed on her best attempt after 13.04 meters and in the long jump she recorded a distance of 6.20 meters.
With only the 800 meters to go, Doctor was on course for bronze. Vidts and Vanninen already had too much of a lead and the two would battle for gold and silver. Doctor knew that her closest competitor for the bronze medal, Italy’s Sveva Gerevini, was dangerously fast in the 800 meters.
Doctor decided on an all-or-nothing race and it paid off with a nice victory. In the last meters she passed Gerevini and secured the bronze.
In the coming days, the Netherlands has more medal chances at the World Indoor Championships, which lasts until Sunday. Femke Bol is the sky-high favorite in the 400 meters on Saturday evening, while Lieke Klaver can also win a medal at that distance.
The top five of the pentathlon
The three medal winners of the pentathlon. Photo: AP
Image: ANP
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Athletics World Indoor Championships
2024-03-01 21:38:18
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