“I needed a break. Not physically, but mentally. I just wanted some time for myself and the people around me,” said Femke Bol as she decided to step back from the Indoor European Championships in Apeldoorn. After the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she had been on a nonstop streak, competing in every championship, winning medals, and breaking records. But all that success came with increasing pressure. “It just kept piling up, and last year was so hectic that I lost the joy in training. Saying no was tough, but honestly, it feels good for once.”

That said, there was no way Bol was going to miss the Indoor European Championships completely. The 25-year-old will only compete in the 400-meter relay race. “I want to run the relay. Who wouldn’t want to compete in a home tournament? It’s such a special moment, and I may never get this chance again,” she said. Even though she hadn’t been racing, she had been training harder than ever. So when the time comes, she’ll be ready to give it her all. But Bol isn’t just about running—she’s also about making a difference.

Bol is well aware of the serious issue of human trafficking in the Netherlands. The country continues to be a primary destination for trafficking victims, but it’s also increasingly becoming a country of origin. The Council of Europe reported that human trafficking victims numbered 4,732 between 2018 and 2022, while women accounted for 60% of cases and children constituted 10% through their report.

“Every day, children fall victim to sexual exploitation. For €5,000, we can free one child. That’s why I take 5,000 steps. I am Femke Bol, and I’m an ambassador for Free a Girl. I take 5,000 steps to free children.” It wasn’t just a statement—it was a powerful call to action, urging her followers to get involved.

Bol recognizes how crucial it is to leverage her platform into positive change, so she has dedicated herself to improving social conditions. Recently, she made a permanent mark in history through her recent actions. On March 1st, Femke Bol took to Instagram with a message that was about more than just running.

In a video, she stood ready to race wearing a “Free a Girl” wristband and spoke passionately in Dutch about the harsh reality of child exploitation. Bol has always been about more than just medals, and this is proof. Free a Girl is an organization that rescues and supports survivors, giving them legal aid, education, and the tools to rebuild their lives.

In her caption, she made it clear why this fight is so important: “Not every girl gets to grow up with freedom and opportunities. But together, we can change that. I’m proud to be an ambassador for @freeagirl, an organization fighting child exploitation and giving girls a future through education. 🩷” For Bol, being a champion is not only about winning the race; it is about using her position to bring about real change. But she’s not the only one making a big impact!

Apart from Femke Bol, other athletes are making an impact too

Many well-known female athletes presently rule both sporting arenas and global public perception. The world has Simone Biles as one of its prime examples. She is the world’s leading gymnast at present and uses her position to support foster children through “The University of the People” educational initiative because she understands the difficulties of being in foster care as she too faced it!

Through her activism, Allyson Felix successfully defended maternity rights for female athletes to prevent them from having to abandon their careers for the sake of starting a family. And Mikaela Shiffrin? The athlete uses her accomplishments to spread knowledge about climate change threats alongside sustainable practices in wintertime sports.

Athlete Alica Schmidt teaches young track and field competitors about dedication, along with promoting healthy life practices. The final-year student Olivia Dunne from LSU shares her opinion on giving college athletes fair compensation. These athletes demonstrate that victory goes beyond trophy collection because their fame enables them to bring essential social transformations to the world.