Judo-turned-track and field rockstar, Femke Bol has done it again! The 400 m specialized Dutch sprinter and hurdler has been named in notable honors and triumphs. She flamboyantly fired up her 400 m hurdle race, clocking an epic 50.95s finish, becoming only the second athlete to dip under 51 seconds. Some of her previous wins include 5 golds in the European Athletics Championships, 2 stellar silvers at the World Championships, and a bronze in 400 m hurdles in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Bambi, as Bol’s fans like to call her, faced certain ebbs and flows through her success journey, and a constant guiding light has worked it out alongside her. The 24-year-old athlete currently has the world at her feet with prominent participation in major competitions, including the Diamond League. But who’s been this guiding light to this track and field sensation? Let’s delve further.

Meet Femke Bol’s Swiss coach Laurent Meuwly

After dedicating 3 precious decades to the domain, Laurent Meuwly began his coaching career at 18 years of age. He is currently head of sprinting, hurdles, and relay in the Netherlands, but before his role in the Dutch Athletics Federation, he served as a head coach in Switzerland.

Under Laurent Meuwly’s guidance, Femke Bol managed to become the world record holder in 2023 by clocking a dynamic 49.26 in the Dutch Indoor Championships. She also clocked a world indoor 500 m best of 1:05:63, winning double golds at the European Championships. Femke also won the 400m and was part of the national-record-breaking 4x400m team that had names like Lieke Klaver, Eveline Saalberg, and Cathelijn Peeters.

On the other hand, Lieke Klaver also claimed the European 400m silver while the Dutch men’s 4x400m team and bronze in Istanbul after being coached by Laurent. Femke Bol’s coach has mentored prominent sports stars, including Ajla Del Ponte, who won the European indoor 60 m championship, Lea Sprunger, Bram Peters, Jaroslaw Skrzyszowski, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Nick Smidt, Anna Kielbasinska, Pia Skrzyszowska, Viktoriya Tkachuk, Ayomide Folorunso, Viivi Lehikoinen, Tony van Diepen, and several more.

Bol’s Swiss coach has not only achieved prestigious honors like the ‘Coaching Achievement Award’ in 2023 but has also published several articles on coaching. He’s been among the notable speakers at national and international coaching events as well. Laurent Meuwly’s contribution to Femke Bol’s success is exceptional, as he continued to get her through it by helping her improve.

How is Laurent Meuwly helping Femke Bol improve?

Without a doubt, Femke Bol is a remarkable track and field star, as evidenced by her dedication and triumphs. However, her fall in 2023 cost her a medal. Coach Meuwly accepted the situation and pledged to improve her performance in the future. He explained, “We could say: ‘Okay, maybe that track was really fast and maybe we couldn’t find the same conditions in 2022’ but last year she was better physically but couldn’t improve her time. We both realized we were at the end of this concept with the 15 steps.”

Meuwly made sure to rework and suggested a new plan for Bol. His new plan for Femke to run differently and take 14 strides between the first 7 hurdles and then maximize her finishing speed by reverting to 15 between the final three, worked in the favor of Bol as she exceeded her success bar further.

Adding to this, Laurent says, “There had been signs in training but you always need the validation of the competition to confirm that ‘now I’m better than I was before’”, he further added, “[It also confirmed] 14 steps fits her qualities better. Everything was all great going to the World Championships.”

The coach’s training over the right forms changes the player’s performance on and off the track, and this episode is a living example of that. What are your thoughts on Femke Bol? Comment below and let us know!