Two-time European Athlete of the Year Femke Bol was crowned 2023 Dutch Sportswoman of the Year at the Dutch Sports Gala on Wednesday (20).
Bol has amassed another superlative season which included breaking the seemingly untouchable world indoor 400m record of 49.26 followed by two gold medals at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Istanbul and two gold medals at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Bol also lowered her European 400m hurdles record to 51.45 in the London Diamond League and broke the 52 second-barrier on three occasions in 2023. Incredibly, the 23-year-old now holds 12 of the 13 fastest times in history in Europe in the 400m hurdles.
Bol ran the anchor leg of their gold medal-winning teams in Istanbul and Budapest and their triumphant 4x400m team was also crowned Dutch Team of the Year. The Dutch 4x400m team successfully defended their European indoor title in Istanbul before winning their first ever global title in the event at the World Athletics Championships.
Double European U20 champion Niels Laros, who also reached the world 1500m final just four months after celebrating his 18th birthday, won the 2023 Young Talent Award.
Laros also broke the European U20 mile record with 3:48.93 in the Diamond League final in Eugene and moved to second on the European U20 all-time list in the 1500m (3:31.25) and 5000m (13:23.01).