Dutch athletics star Femke Bol will enter next month’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as the overwhelming favourite for the women’s 400m hurdles title but her preparations carry a note of disappointment. Her main rival, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, has opted to skip the hurdles in favour of competing in the flat 400m this year, ending hopes of another epic head-to-head.
For Bol, the absence means the loss of what could have been another iconic clash between the sport’s two dominant hurdlers. Their previous encounters have been nothing short of spectacular from McLaughlin-Levrone’s world record triumph at the Paris 2024 Olympics to her earlier victories at Tokyo 2020 and the 2022 World Championships. Each time, Bol pushed herself to the limit, even if she had to settle for second place. She has often admitted that racing against her American counterpart brings out her very best performances.
The rarity of their rivalry only adds to the sense of loss. Since McLaughlin-Levrone’s Olympic debut, the two have faced each other only on a handful of occasions, almost always at major championships. In an era where athletes often specialise and avoid direct competition, the prospect of repeatedly meeting a generational talent is rare. McLaughlin-Levrone’s event switch this season means such matchups will be even less frequent, denying athletics fans one of the sport’s most exciting storylines.
Beyond competitiveness, Bol’s disappointment comes from a deep admiration for her rival’s talent. She has openly described McLaughlin-Levrone as “the very best ever” in the women’s 400m hurdles high praise from a world champion. Performances like the American’s 50.37-second world record in Paris have redefined what is possible in the event, and Bol relishes the challenge of competing against someone at that level.
Without McLaughlin-Levrone in the 400m hurdles, Bol will still be the clear favourite for gold, but the victory may feel incomplete. While the medal remains the primary goal, the Dutch athlete draws much of her motivation from measuring herself against the absolute best. That opportunity will not come in Tokyo this year.
Bol will now focus on defending her hurdles title while also testing herself in the 200m flat, but for both her and athletics fans, the Tokyo championships will miss the extra spark that only a Bol–McLaughlin-Levrone showdown can bring.
