Running News Daily

The moment many athletics fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. Two-time world 400m hurdles champion Femke Bol is set to make her much-anticipated 800m debut at the Athelor Meeting in Metz, France, on February 8, meet organizers have confirmed.

The announcement was made on Moselle TV, sparking excitement across the track and field world as the Dutch superstar prepares to test herself over a new distance. Bol took the decision to explore the 800m back in October, shortly after sealing her second consecutive world title in the 400m hurdles in Tokyo, further cementing her dominance in the event.

Meet director Dominique Abisse explained why Metz was chosen as the venue for this important career moment, highlighting both familiarity and comfort as key factors.

“She has chosen a place that reassures her, where she is on known ground, and a land that she appreciates,” Abisse said, speaking to French media.

The choice of Metz also makes sense from a performance perspective. The city proved it can deliver fast middle-distance races last season, when Ethiopia’s Tsigie Duguma edged Britain’s Jemma Reekie in a thrilling 800m showdown, clocking 1:58.97 to Reekie’s 1:59.72. That race underlined the meet’s reputation as a stage capable of producing high-quality times.

Bol’s move to the 800m will be closely watched, given her exceptional speed, endurance, and tactical intelligence—qualities that have made her nearly untouchable over the one-lap hurdles. Whether this debut signals a long-term shift or a strategic experiment remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: all eyes will be on Metz on February 8 as one of the sport’s biggest stars takes on a bold new challenge.