Femke Bol ran a remarkable race in the 400m hurdles discipline, competing in the recently concluded Lausanne Diamond League on August 22. Breaking her own meet record, the Dutch sprinter ran an impressive 52.25s to clinch the gold right after the Paris Olympics. This will surely bolster Bol’s confidence after her heartbreaking loss in the Paris Olympics to arch-rival Sydney McLaughlin Levrone, which left the former in tears. But wasn’t Femke’s win somewhat predictable?

Back in Paris, while Femke’s 52.15s earned her a bronze medal, Sydney’s 50.37s struck gold, breaking the world record in the event for a sixth time. But Sydney has made it customary to just vanish from the tracks after a major meet. Along the same line, she did not take part in the Lausanne Diamond League as well. What else did the Dutch woman need to assert her dominance? In the absence of Sydney, she went on to maintain her reign over the Diamond League meets. But there are some lines between the lines that can not be missed.

The records book will tell you that among Femke Bol and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the former has more Diamond League wins. Bol has lifted the Diamond League trophy back to back from 2021 to 2023. But what these will not show you is, in none of those, Femke had to face Sydney. The former has not taken part in any of the Diamond League 400mH since winning the 2021 Olympic title. In the 2023 Paris Diamond League, Sydney showed up but only to compete in the 400m flat. Femke has indeed put these absences to the best possible use.

With the latest victory, Bol now has eight Diamond League meet records to her name in the 400m hurdles discipline. Running in the London Diamond League just before the Olympics, Bol created another record by clocking 51.30s to beat her previous record set in London. In Lausanne, the race saw Bol’s signature speed in the last 200m.

“I pushed hard in the last two hundred meters, and the energy from the crowd and my teammates was incredible. It was an emotional experience, especially after such a challenging season, and celebrating together with everyone made it even more special,” Bol said after the race. Despite the loss in Paris, she looked confident as she reflected on her Paris outing.

Bol stated, “I´m still in great shape, with no injuries or sickness, which is really positive. The race today was great with a meeting record. The 4×400 mixed relay at the Games was all about going for a medal. When I got the stick and saw where the others were, I knew it was doable.” All that being said, let us take a look at how she has been dominating the Diamond League meets over the years, albeit escaping the rivalry with Sydney.

Bol won her first Diamond League in 2020 in Stockholm. Starting from there, she has remained almost invincible in the diamond league meets. here are her previous seven meet records in the Diamond League:

• Lusanne Diamond League 2021: 53.05
• Zurich Diamond League 2021: 52.80s
• Oslo Diamond League 2022: 52.61s
• Lusanne Diamond League 2022: 52.95s
• Rome Diamond League 2023: 52.43s
• Oslo Diamond League 2023: 52.30s
• Lausanne Diamond League 2023: 52.76s

However, consider some stats here. When Sydney became the 2019 Diamond League champion in 400mH (her only Diamond League title to date), her timing was 52.23. In the same year, Femke’s best timing was 55.32. In the year 2021, while Sydney hit the sub-51 mark, Femke’s best was still 52.03. The following year, Sydney hit the sub-50 time for the first time, while Bol was still clocking the sub-52 time. It was only this year that Femke touched the sub-50 time, which is still some distance away from Sydney.

Looking at all these, one might wonder whether Bol could have walked away with that many Diamond League wins, had Sydney been present in those. And that is not without reason.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone looks too invincible an opponent for Femke Bol

Understandably, Femke Bol will have a sour feeling nagging in her mind when it comes to facing Sydney on some of the topmost stages. In the face-off between the two, Sydney now leads 3-0. Before her latest victory in Paris, she had defeated Bol at the 2021 Olympics and 2022 World Athletics Championships. It could well have been 4-0 had Sydney not missed the 2023 World Championships for a knee injury. And why not? Look at the timing of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. You will get a clue of how dominant she is.

Not only because she has broken the world record six times, but the margin with which she clinches the races. In Paris, she won the race with a full 1.5s lead over the silver medalist Ana Cockrell. At one point, the broadcast screen only had Sydney visible. The 2021 Olympics was close. She defeated the silver medalist, the legendary Dalilah Muhammad, with just a .12-second lead. But here the catch is something else.

Sydney had fumbled in that race, and Dalilah was leading it. But in the penultimate distance saw Sydney’s superhuman speed that took the race away from everyone else. One notable factor in Sydney’s journey has been the way she has modified her stride pattern over the years to find the one that works best for her. To top it off, Sydney has this remarkable ability to alternate her lead legs as and when required. And believe us, she is equally good in both. So she does not have to stutter, a nightmare for the hurdlers. Consider some more points.

Tell us something that Sydney is not good at. Sydney’s focus is 400mH, but her time in the other races she has run at some points is no less awe-inspiring.

• Her personal bests in 100m flat and 100mH are 11.07 and 12.65, which would have made her a contender in the final in the Paris Olympics both events.
• Her personal best in the 200m (22.07) would have won her the silver medal behind Gabby Thomas in Paris.
• In the 400m, it would have made her the fastest qualifier for the Olympic final in the event.
• Even after these, do not forget her split in the 4x400m relay in Paris. She ran 47.7s split, which is the fastest since 1982

What do you make out of these? It seems that she could have equally excelled at practically any event she would have taken part in. So, it seems that her dominance over Bol is something that is going to stay here for long. However, Bol is a fierce talent. Let us not forget that she is the only one apart from Sydney to have gone sub-51 in 400mH. So never say never, and Bol seems to be in no mood to say that!