Femke Bol Opens Up on Bold 800m Switch Despite Unfinished Business in the 400m Hurdles

In a move that took the athletics world by surprise, reigning world 400m hurdles champion Femke Bol has revealed the motivation behind her decision to switch from the 400m hurdles to the 800m.

Speaking to European Athletics, the Dutch star explained she wanted to embrace a new challenge while at the peak of her physical and mental fitness.

"The switch feels really, really nice, really exciting, also really scary," Bol admitted. "I'm still young. I'm mentally, physically feeling really fit, and it's a really, really big challenge. That's also why I want to do it while I still feel at my best."

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Femke Bol, a two-time European 400m hurdles champion, said the idea to change events emerged after a period of post-Olympic reflection.

"I also really feel ready for a new impulse, a new kind of training, a new kind of racing, and that makes me really excited," she added. "It was a thought that came to my coach and me at the same time."

Reflecting on her decorated career in the 400m hurdles, Bol feels she has accomplished nearly all her goals in the event.

"I do think I achieved pretty much everything I could dream of on the 400m hurdles, except for Olympic gold," she said, noting her individual achievements and impressive sub-51-second times.

"I've just felt ready for a new chapter, to try something exciting, it's scary, but it's mostly really exciting for me to try something completely different."

Despite her status as an elite athlete, Femke Bol is approaching the 800m with humility, acknowledging her lack of experience in the middle-distance event.

"I'm going really as a beginner, because I have no clue about running it," she explained. "But I think I'm not a beginning athlete anymore. All of those experiences I will bring with me towards the 800m."

The new discipline will require significant adjustments to her training regimen. "I've never run further than a 600 all out. So, the last 200 is new territory for me," Bol said. However, she expressed full confidence in her coaching team's plan to guide her through the transition.

The news was met with excitement by one of her future top competitors, Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson. Bol shared that Hodgkinson, who is also her agent-mate, praised her courage.

"She was just really excited for me. And she also thought I was brave for taking the step, because the 800m is really packed right now," Bol said with a smile.

She anticipates their training camp lunches will now include tactical advice on the 800m, a stark contrast to the individual lanes of the 400m hurdles.

"I will first need to do some 800m races to be able to come next to the great names," she acknowledged. "It will be a really different mindset that I will need heading into a race."

Fans of Femke Bol's electrifying relay performances can rest easy. The Dutch star, who has anchored her nation to 15 major medals since 2021, confirmed she has no plans to give up the 4x400m.

"I really want to keep running the relays," she stated. "I think it's also possible to do in combination with the 800m. I love to relay. I love to run for the country and run with my teammates. So it's something that hopefully will stay on the calendar for me."

Femke Bol’s bold switch to the 800m marks the start of a new era in her career as she pursues growth beyond her hurdling dominance.