Sports • Track and Field

Femke Bol

Femke Bol is a Dutch track and field athlete who specializes in the 400 metres hurdles and 400 metres.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Femke Bol is a Dutch track and field athlete who specializes in the 400 metres hurdles and 400 metres. She has won Olympic, World, and European titles and has held major records in both indoor and outdoor events. In 2025, she announced a planned move away from 400-metre events to the 800 metres starting in 2026.

Early life and background

Femke Bol was born Femke Broeders-Bol on 23 February 2000 in Amersfoort, Netherlands. She first became known as a youth and junior sprint talent before moving into 400-metre hurdles and 400-metre racing.

Major championships

Bol has won medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, she won bronze in the 400 metres hurdles. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she won gold in the 4 × 400 metres mixed relay. At the 2023 World Championships, she won titles in the 400 metres hurdles and the 4 × 400 metres relay. She has also been European champion in both the 400 metres hurdles and the 400 metres.

Records and rankings

Bol has held several major records, including the European record in the 400 metres hurdles and the indoor world record for the 400 metres. She also holds the indoor world best for the 500 metres. World Athletics lists her among the top-ranked women in the 400 metres hurdles.

Change of event focus

In October 2025, Bol announced that she would stop competing in 400-metre events from the 2026 season and shift her focus to the 800 metres. This marked a significant change after years centered on 400-metre disciplines.

Key facts

Femke Bol is a Dutch track and field athlete specializing in the 400 metres hurdles and 400 metres.
She has won Olympic, World, and European titles.
She has held major records including the European record in the 400 metres hurdles and indoor world records.
She announced in October 2025 that she would move to the 800 metres in 2026.
She won bronze at Tokyo 2020 and gold at Paris 2024 in the mixed relay.

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Canadian context

Femke Bol is relevant to Canadian readers through international track and field competition, especially at the Olympic Games, World Championships, and European meets where Canadian athletes may also compete.

Frequently asked questions

What event is Femke Bol best known for?

She is best known for the 400 metres hurdles, though she also competes in the 400 metres and relay events.

How many Olympic medals has Femke Bol won?

She has won four Olympic medals, including gold in the 4 × 400 metres mixed relay at Paris 2024.

Has Femke Bol won a world title?

Yes. She won world titles in the 400 metres hurdles and 4 × 400 metres relay in 2023.

Where was Femke Bol born?

She was born in Amersfoort, Netherlands, on 23 February 2000.

Did Femke Bol change events?

Yes. She announced in October 2025 that she would move away from 400-metre events and begin competing in the 800 metres in 2026.

References

World Athletics — https://worldathletics.org/athletes/netherlands/femke-bol-14707010
Supports: Birth date, nationality, event specializations, and career status/rankings.
Olympics.com — https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/femke-bol
Supports: Olympic biography and major career milestones.
German Wikipedia — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femke_Bol
Supports: Career summary, medals, records, and 2025 announcement to move to 800 metres.
Spanish Wikipedia — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femke_Bol
Supports: Olympic medal totals and event results at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Catalan Wikipedia — https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femke_Bol
Supports: World and European championship medal totals.
Swedish Wikipedia — https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femke_Bol
Supports: 2026 transition to 800 metres and national title information.