Femke Bol kicked off her outdoor season with two personal records in sprint events. The athlete from Amersfoort clocked 11.47 seconds in the 100 meters and 17.10 in the unconventional 150 meters during the Curaçao SprintFest. These times mark a new level of speed for the world champion in the 400-meter hurdles.

However, it was Lieke Klaver who stole the show by clocking faster times on both distances. The Enkhuizen native set a personal best of 11.33 seconds in the 100 meters and recorded 16.96 seconds in the 150 meters, ultimately winning the latter race. Bol secured third place in the 150-meter event.

Veteran sprinter Churandy Martina competed in his homeland for the first time in nineteen years. The 39-year-old finished fourth in the 100 meters with a time of 10.36 seconds, while Hensley Paulina, also from Curaçao, claimed victory in 10.25 seconds. Martina still harbors hopes of participating in his sixth Olympic Games, aiming for a spot in the Dutch 4×100-meter relay team.

Taymir Burnet emerged as the fastest male athlete in the 150 meters, clocking an impressive time of 15.28 seconds, which stands as the second fastest time ever recorded in this occasional sprint distance. Liemarvin Bonevacia secured second place in the 400 meters with a time of 45.21 seconds, slightly above the Olympic qualification standard of 45.00 seconds.

Meanwhile, Cathelijn Peeters triumphed in the women’s 400 meters, setting a personal best of 51.08 seconds, just shy of the Olympic qualifying mark of 50.95 seconds.

As a group of Dutch athletes prepares for the World Relays on the Bahamas next weekend, where Olympic berths will be contested by relay teams, the performances in Curaçao signal an exciting start to the outdoor track and field season.