Femke Bol is one of the best hurdles the world has ever seen. Recently, the World Champion opened up about the pressures of being in the spotlight and dealing with insecurities as an athlete.
Bol rose to fame during the Tokyo Games, when she clocked a European record to finish third in the 400m hurdles finals, claiming Netherlands’ first Olympic medal in the event. Since then the 25-year-old has gone on to deliver consistently remarkable performances, winning the 2023 World Championships, clocking an indoor world record in the 400m, and becoming only the second woman in history to dip under the 51-second mark in the 400m hurdles.
With her rise to fame, the Dutch hurdler has also learnt to navigate the expectations that come with being under the spotlight. In a recent appearance on the ‘Open Kaart’ podcast, Femke Bol opened up about dealing with the insecurities of being an athlete, saying,
“I think everyone is critical of themselves and everyone finds plenty to criticize about themselves. From my upbringing, from my mother, I really got the message that you are who you are and you don’t have to make yourself much more beautiful than that, but you can if you like. But yes, I also notice that I don’t really have the need for that. I think ‘I’m on the track, I want to run really fast’. Of course I’ll do my hair nicely, I’ll put on mascara or my earrings and I want to look nice.”
She went on to add that she hopes her imperfections help youngsters watching her feel better, saying,
“If I have some pimples then I also think that’s how it is. I have a lot of stress and that comes up. That’s just the way it is. And I think that I can be an example for young people that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Because people already think that your life is perfect if you become World Champion but I don’t have the perfect face either, that hopefully helps.”
Femke Bol had a hectic but rewarding 2024 season. The highlights of her year included the Paris Olympics, where she won one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal. A little later in the season, she laid claim to her fourth straight Diamond League title.
Now, Bol is gearing up for what promises to be an exciting 2025. She is scheduled to be in action in the 400m hurdles at the Monaco Diamond League, which will take place on July 11. So far in her career, the Dutch hurdler has gone undefeated in the DL.
Earlier this year, Femke Bol kicked off her season with an appearance at the European Indoor Championships, where she led Netherlands to gold in the 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay events.
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Edited by Riddhi Acharya
