When Femke Bol announced that she was stepping away from hurdles to explore the 800m tracks, many pondered how this decision would pan out for the Dutch star. And Bol herself wanted to feel confident before making her decision public. Hence, she first broke the news to her good friend and the 800m reigning Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, and then shared the update on her career transition with her fans.

On October 10, after securing her $25K Tiffany Crown, Hodgkinson had a brief interview with the media. The reporter asked her about Femke Bol’s decision to join the 800m race. It turned out that Hodgkinson was one of the first people to know about Bol’s move. The 23-year-old said, “She [Femke Bol] actually texted me before she announced it.” 

Of course, the duo are pretty good friends, with nothing but mutual respect holding their relationship together. After all, Hodgkinson has shown her support for Bol on social media after the Dutch star announced the career update. The English middle-distance runner added, “can’t wait to share the startline.”

Further, the800m Olympic champion branded the move as “brave and courageous.” She said, “Girls are running insanely fast times. I commend her for wanting to do that. And I wish her all the best. And I think she’s got the talent to do really well in the eight.” 

Well, it takes immense courage to learn a new sport and adapt to its requirements. Femke Bol has never run the 800m. But she has dominated the hurdles in the past. And as Hodgkinson dissected her friend’s stance in the 800m, she couldn’t help but claim, “I think she’ll smash it. And I look forward to seeing what she does.” 

Femke Bol is all set to explore 800m racetrack and challenge Keely Hodgkinson 

The 400m hurdles world champion sent a massive shockwave through the fanbase when she announced her move to the 800m race. She announced, “It’s a really nice challenge. I think it’s something that we’ve had in our minds for a long time.” It’s not a sudden decision, though. Well, at least not for her. Bol has been thinking of focusing on 800m ever since the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her desire to achieve more as a track and field athlete was one of the reasons behind this shift. 

Bol continued, “The 400m hurdles have evolved me so much. It’s really made me the athlete I am today. It also gave me the confidence to dare to make this step. The 800m has always been an event I love to watch.” Now, she will have to compete against names likes of Lilian Odira, Keely Hodgkinson, and Georgia Bell. The competition, however, is fierce. Kenya’s Lilian Odira stormed to World Championship gold in Tokyo with a record 1:54.62, ranking No. 7 all-time. Meanwhile, Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who took bronze, sits just ahead at No. 6 with her 1:54.61 from 2024 and closed out 2025 as the year’s fastest at 1:54.74. 

As Femke Bol steps into uncharted territory, her rivalry with Keely Hodgkinson promises to redefine the 800m landscape. For Femke Bol, the stage is set for a compelling new chapter in middle-distance racing.