Femke Bol Eyes Tokyo 2025 Glory as Savannah Sutherland, Anna Cockrell Threaten Title Defense

Olympics women's 4 × 400m relay gold medalist Femke Bol is gearing up for one of the biggest moments of her career as she prepares to defend her 400m hurdles crown at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The Dutch sensation, who claimed gold in the event at the 2023 Championships in Budapest, has been unbeaten this season, raising expectations for another golden run.

Bol has dominated the track in 2025, winning every 400m hurdles race she has entered and clinching the Zurich Diamond League Final—her fifth career title in the event.

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That feat has placed her among the most successful athletes in the history of the Diamond League, cementing her status as the frontrunner heading into the Tokyo Championships, which run from September 13 to September 21.

“Yeah, I just focus on my own race execution and focus on my own strength with just the last few barriers and stay cool in my head, keep my nerves calm and then uh I'll see where it brings me,” Bol explained when asked about her race strategy following her Diamond League triumph.

The 25-year-old is currently training in Chiba, Japan, alongside her Dutch teammates. She has been sharing glimpses of her preparations on Instagram, captioning one post: “Final preparations ahead of @wchtokyo25 ✨🇯🇵”.

In another, she reposted a clip from teammate Lisanne de Witte, showing her clearing hurdles with the sharp precision that has made her a global track star.

Bol’s preparations take on added significance given the competition she will face. With world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opting to compete in the flat 400m instead of the hurdles, the field has opened up.

Bol enters as the clear favorite, but the challenge remains formidable.

Among her rivals is Dalilah Muhammad, the 2019 world champion and former world record holder, who will compete in her final World Championships.

Anna Cockrell, who captured Olympic silver in Paris, is another serious contender. Canadian Savannah Sutherland, who broke McLaughlin-Levrone’s NCAA record this year to claim her second collegiate title, also adds intrigue to the Tokyo showdown.

Bol will be having a memory of a “tricky” bronze-medal race at the Paris Olympics in 2024 which continues to serve as a reminder that no race is guaranteed.

She stressed that recovery and maintaining calm are central to her strategy this time. “I just focus on my own race execution,” she said, underscoring her intent to keep nerves in check during the high-stakes championship.

Despite the pressure, Bol remains upbeat about her unbeaten run throughout the Diamond League season.

She described her flawless record in 2025 as “cool” and hopes to carry that momentum into the global stage.