Bol and dos Santos dazzle over 400m hurdles in Stockholm

Both Femke Bol and Alison dos Santos stole the show on the track at the BAUHAUS-galan as the 400m hurdling pair set stunning times in Stockholm on Thursday June 30. 

On a hot and humid evening in the Swedish capital, the athletes blazed around the track as around 10,000 people came to watch the eighth meeting in this season’s Wanda Diamond League Series. 

Such quality times were fitting as the stadium, which was created for the Stockholm Olympics in 1912, celebrated its 110th anniversary. 

Bol sets second fastest time of career, dos Santos continues brilliant form

Femke Bol laid down a marker ahead of the World Athletics Championships as she clocked a Diamond League and meeting record of 52.27 – the second fastest time of her career in the event – to comfortably win the 400m hurdles in Stockholm. 

The 22-year-old has only gone faster at the Tokyo Olympics, and after Sydney McLaughlin’s recent world record of 51.41, the prospect of the two battling out again at a major championships is mouth-watering. 

“I am very glad to come back to this stadium which I really love and I am glad I managed to win again,” Bol said. “I am still hoping to do something very special in Eugene. It was a good race today but not perfect. In the end, I am very glad for this time." 

“When you see the results from Hayward Field, I am so excited to go there and I have some great competitors out there. I am looking forward to competing in Eugene.”

Alison dos Santos’ preparation for the World Athletics Championships couldn’t have gone better as he set a meeting record and the sixth fastest time in history with an incredible time of 46.80.

Like Bol, the 22-year-old Brazilian only went quicker at last year’s Tokyo Olympics. His time of 46.80 in Stockholm also bettered this season’s world lead of 47.04, by the silver medallist from Japan, Rai Benjamin. 

“I am so proud about this performance,” dos Santos said. “My preparations went well and this result shows it. Now, I am so excited for the worlds. I just tried to have fun and to run fast. My coach said - Just go there and run. And I just did it. I ran. For myself."

“I was expecting such a time and I feel ready for the championships now and it will be very exciting in Eugene. I think about the world record every day, every night, I dream of that.”

After Karsten Warholm injured his right hamstring at the Rabat Wanda Diamond League, all eyes were on dos Santos and he will be confident ahead of Oregon.