The 2024 Paris Olympics – 4×400 mixed relay and a trailing Dutch team. With the final baton exchange between the third runner and her, the Dutch runner burst off in fourth, trailing by two seconds. Nobody would’ve even given it a thought that something like this could be pulled off.

What’s the most practical finish after trailing at number 4 and one last run to go? The Dutch team finished first. Such was the performance of Femke Bol. Each stride seemed to shrink the gap as she commanded the track with a 47.93‑second lap, her long legs devouring ground, and before you know it, she was the first one to cross the finish line. Crazy right? Now take a look at the BTS of the Bol’s Olympics.

Talking of her Olympics season, the Olympian said, “That was such a busy season. Normally, there are two peak moments, but there were so many tournaments in between.” In the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, the track calendar was stacked with key meets. Bol participated in the Dutch Indoor Championships, World Athletics Indoor Championships, and many other competitions. But topping these games wasn’t her priority.

In a conversation with Robbert Rodenburg, she confessed,” So I was competing a lot but not in top form, because we were working towards peaking at the Games. I knew I had to be at 110% in the final if I wanted a shot at gold.” In June 2024, in the Stockholm Diamond League, Bol won the 400m hurdles with a time of 53.07 seconds, which was slower than her personal best of 52.03 seconds set in 2023. But while she might just be training in these races, being any less than in her actual training took a toll on her.

She said in the interview that, “So every training that was a nine had me coming home in tears—“It’s not good enough, I want better, am I even good enough?” I kept overthinking whether I’d be in shape on time.” But she had a great support system. In her very own words, “Luckily, my coach and sport psychologist helped. We sat down—we do that once or twice a year—and said ‘This is the only real hurdle I see: your own pressure.‘ She confessed to her perfectionism getting out of hand because she wanted it so badly. Talking to her coach, Laurent Meuwly, and her psychologist helps her a lot.

The host asked who her support system is, to which she replied Ben. The Olympian is in a long-term relationship with Belgian pole vaulter Ben Broeders, notably since 2019. But she also said, “But also my sports psychologist and my parents.” The 4 times Olympic medalist is very open to psychology. After her fall during the 4x400m mixed relay at the World Championships, Bol credited her coach, psychologist, and teammates for helping her recover mentally and regain confidence..

Speaking of her parents, Joost and Annemarie Bol have been integral in her development. During the 2024 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, Femke celebrated her victories with her parents, highlighting their integral role in her achievements. Speaking of her mother, Femke said, “I can really talk to my mom. I’m a lot like her. That helps, even if we don’t find solutions—just to let everything out. We can figure out answers later.” In the Paris Olympics, another thing that must have pushed the Olympian is her rivalry with Sydney McLaughlin Levrone.

Sydney McLaughlin Levrone vs Femke Bol

It all began at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where McLaughlin-Levrone smashed the 400m hurdles world record with a blazing 51.46 to claim gold. Bol, running with her trademark grace and composure, surged down the home stretch to secure bronze in 52.27 seconds—a Dutch national record. From that moment, the stakes were clear—two athletes, both hungry for glory. In Eugene, Bol solidified her place among the world’s elite by winning silver in the 400m hurdles with a time of 52.27 seconds, finishing behind McLaughlin-Levrone, who broke the world record again with an astonishing 50.68.

When McLaughlin-Levrone stepped away in 2023 due to injury, Bol seized the spotlight, dominating the World Championships and proving herself as a formidable, world-class force. In the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Bol won gold in the women’s 400m hurdles with a time of 51.70 seconds—the second-fastest time in the world that year, behind only McLaughlin-Levrone’s world record. Now all eyes were on the Paris Olympics 100mh, Sydney vs Bol. McLaughlin did not run for the win but for the record.

She gave a world record-breaking run to claim her second Olympic gold, clocking 50.37 seconds. Bol crossed the line in 52.15 seconds, settling for bronze. We might see them in the Diamond League or maybe in the Grand Slam Track in the future, who will win then?