Leading up to the Paris Olympics, the track world will witness several rivalries blossom, and the competitors will push themselves to their limits. Femke Bol and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone joined the list by breaking their personal bests at the Résisprint International and the US Olympic Trials.
The two athletes have become one of the most talked-about topics in the track community, as they will compete at the Stade de France in a few days.
With all of the hype around them, Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green have offered their thoughts on the Ready Set Go podcast on YouTube, stating that they can’t wait to see these two ranked first and second in the 400-meter hurdles compete head-to-head.
The Bahamian sprinter began the conversation by pointing out the Dutch athlete’s abilities. He added that, while the American hurdler appeared to be in excellent shape after setting the world record in 50.65 seconds at the US Olympic Trials, Bol responded with a 50.95 at the Résisprint International.
This race also contradicted Green’s bold prediction a few days before: the Dutch athlete couldn’t compete with Sydney’s amazing form. The Bahamian athlete instantly retracted his statements and apologized to Bol on the podcast, using a sarcastic tone. He also expressed gratitude to her, saying:
“Shout out to her man. She was already the European record holder, but now she is the European record holder that sub-51, which is amazing.”
Rodney Green says that the track community does not understand the sub-51 performances recorded by both athletes in their respective events. He reveals that the two hurdles ran the same time as the flat 400-meter sprint qualifying time for the Olympic Games on a hurdle course, which is simply unbelievable to hear.
Justin Gatlin offers his perspective, simply summarizing the Bahamian athlete’s statement, saying:
“Don’t just say hurdles; hurdles sound like three hurdles. They had 10 barriers that they had to get over at full speed, and qualified for the 400-meter flat.”
The four-time world champion congratulates Femke Bol on her overall season success, which included implementing the best strategy. He goes on to say that in the race where she broke her own personal best, the Dutch athlete messed up her last three hurdles, costing her a lot of time, yet Bol still managed to finish in under 51 seconds.
The analysis simply indicates that Femke has the potential to go even faster, possibly breaking the world record set by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at the US Olympic Trials. Justin and Green go on to say that if time is on their side, the track world may witness the two athletes compete in relays with their teams, in addition to the 400-meter hurdles.
The Paris Olympics would be the second time the two hurdlers faced off, as their rivalry dates back to the previous edition of the Olympic Games.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Facing off Femke Bol at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics
Femke Bol and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone first shared a 400-meter hurdles grid at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The excitement was building as the track world prepared to witness a competitive grid. With only a few hurdles left in the race, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Femke Bol, and Dalilah Muhammad were the ones to watch.
Revisit Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s groundbreaking Tokyo 2020 victory in the Women’s 400m hurdles!
Clocking a world record of 51.46, she claimed gold and redefined greatness in athletics. From a prodigious talent to an Olympic champion, her journey inspires us as we edge closer… pic.twitter.com/OPHKo9mrXR
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) March 28, 2024
After the final hurdle, Sydney raced forward, leaving her teammate and her Dutch competitor behind, and secured the gold medal with a world record run of 51.46. Dalilah Muhammad took the silver medal with a 51.58, while Femke Bol grabbed the bronze with a 52.03. This was a huge occasion for American fans because the 400-meter hurdles ended in a 1-2 finish.
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