The 2025 track season just got a whole lot more exciting, and a lot of that has to do with Femke Bol. The Dutch hurdling sensation burst onto the scene at the Stockholm Diamond League on June 15th, making it clear she’s here to dominate. Imagine this: Bol, on the track, every stride powerful and precise, as she blazes through the women’s 400m hurdles in an incredible 52.11 seconds. That wasn’t just a personal best for the young season; it was a meet record and a serious statement.

She’d already snagged wins in Rabat and at the FBK Games earlier in 2025, but this performance? It screamed, “I’m ready!” Her technique was flawless, her pace relentless, leaving everyone else in her wake and setting a stadium record. She’s definitely the one to watch. So, what makes this early-season performance so intimidating for her rivals?

Well, she’s not even at her best, according to Bol herself. “This is one of my favorite stadiums so to take the stadium record makes me very happy. I am not in my best shape yet so to take the victory is especially good. I was very focused on the middle section of the race today, and that went well as I pushed ahead at the stage. I am still feeling some lactic but I am starting to feel the hurdles better every race.”

Even sprint legend Justin Gatlin couldn’t contain his excitement. On his YouTube show Ready Set Go , he practically roared, “All I can say about them Cabal is she’s back! Where have you been, we want to know, where have you been, but where have you been?” excitedly he exclaimed. “You’ve been working hard ‘cuz coming out running 52.11, yeah, you handle the business wherever you been, that’s cool with me, you do your thing.”

His words perfectly capture the thrill of Bol’s explosive return. She skipped the 2025 indoor season to focus on relays, and this time is proof that her grind paid off. Gatlin’s hype is just a mirror of the track world’s buzz: Bol isn’t just running; she’s rewriting what we expect. How does all of this set the stage for her competitors?

“She ain’t got that world lead though Sydney got that but she coming she coming, it takes time”, For Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who’s already hit a world-leading 52.07 in Miami, and Dalilah Muhammad, who snagged second in Stockholm with a season-best 52.91, Bol’s 52.11 is a clear warning shot. This was her third win in three 2025 races, including a dominant 1.44-second lead over Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight in Rabat. It’s not just that she’s competing; she’s absolutely commanding the field.

With the Tokyo World Championships just around the corner in September, Bol’s early surge, bolstered by clever technical adjustments like a new block setup, signals one thing: she’s gunning for that 400m hurdles crown. Can her rivals possibly catch up before Tokyo?

Femke Bol Leads “Golden Generation” in 400m Flat Challenge

The track in Madrid is about to get a whole lot more exciting as Femke Bol leads a super-talented Dutch team into the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships, set for June 28-29. This squad has been dubbed the “golden generation” by European Athletics, and it’s easy to see why.

At the heart of it all is Bol, who’s not just the world’s best in the 400m hurdles, but she’s going to be tackling the 400m flat this time around. She’s been on fire, fresh off that blazing 52.11 in Stockholm, and she’s been unbeaten in 2025. Can she keep this incredible momentum rolling in Madrid, even with the switch to the flat 400m?

But it’s not just Bol. The team is packed with stars like Lieke Klaver in the 200m and Nadine Visser in the 100m hurdles, truly a dynamite lineup. The Netherlands is coming off a fantastic showing at the 2025 European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, where they snagged seven golds, including some epic relay triumphs with Bol. Remember her anchor leg in Apeldoorn’s mixed 4x400m (3:15.63)? That was a Dutch record and showed just how clutch she is. The big question is, will her relay magic translate to individual success in the flat 400m?

With Jonas Phijffers joining the men’s 400m, this Dutch team has a great mix of fresh talent and seasoned experience. Bol’s leadership and sheer speed make her the one to watch, no doubt. Can she ignite another “golden moment” for her team in Madrid? Get ready for some fireworks in Madrid! Femke Bol is leading a truly stacked Dutch team into the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships from June 28-29, and they’re being hailed as a “golden generation” by European Athletics for good reason.