Femke Bol delivered a breathtaking performance to lead the Netherlands to victory in the Olympic mixed 4×400 meters relay on Saturday, August 3 2024, securing a dramatic redemption for the 24-year-old athlete who had fallen just short of gold at last year’s World Championships.
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Bol took the baton in fourth place, trailing the leading United States team by about 20 meters. With a fierce determination, she completed her leg in a remarkable 47.93 seconds, overtaking American runner Kaylyn Brown just before the finish line.
Bol’s final surge propelled the Dutch team to a winning time of 3:07.43, narrowly missing the world record set by the U.S. in Friday’s heats by just two-hundredths of a second.
“I just went for it,” Bol said after the race. “We just wanted a medal this time, we didn’t think it would be gold, just a medal. Well, we got gold and are the Olympic champions. It is absolutely crazy for a small country like ours.”
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The U.S. team, despite their silver medal finish with a time of 3:07.74, expressed pride in their performance.
Vernon Norwood, who ran the lead-off leg for the Americans, remarked, “We did exactly what we needed to do. We are still world record holders and I can’t be more proud of us.”
Britain claimed the bronze with a time of 3:08.01, rounding out the podium in the thrilling relay event.
Reflecting on her extraordinary final lap, Bol shared, “Just keep going, keep going. And my general anger from Budapest. That and my teammates cheering me. And the atmosphere in this stadium is absolutely incredible. It’s crazy. So everything together.”
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