Cynthia Bolingo eclipsed her Belgian 400m record on home soil at the KBC Nacht van de Atletiek in Heusden-Zolder on Saturday (3) evening, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting.
Bolingo became the first Belgian to break the 51 second-barrier in the 400m last month, shattering Kim Gevaert’s long-standing mark with 50.75 and the former European indoor silver medallist improved yet again.
The rain-soaked track and cool conditions might not have seemed conducive to fast sprinting but Bolingo defied this handicap, splashing through the puddles to stop the clock at 50.72 to shave three-hundredths off her recently set national record.
Bolingo won by more than one second from reigning European U20 champion Polina Miller, a Russian athlete competing as a neutral athlete, who clocked 52.08.
“This is great for morale,” Bolingo told local reporters. “I’ve been asked several times if I’m in good shape too soon, but it’s starting to look like I’m not. It’s still a small month until Tokyo where a lot of things can go wrong, but I’m enjoying the shape I have now.
With the Olympic Games just over three weeks away now, Bolingo has achieved lifetime bests or national records this season over 100m (11.28), 200m (22.79) as well as 400m (50.72). Bolingo will be competing for Belgium in the 400m in Tokyo and the 28-year-old will also be an integral part of Belgium’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay teams.
From a Belgian standpoint, the other highlight was European indoor 1500m champion Elise Vanderelst stepping down in distance to break the long-standing national record in the 1000m.
Anne-Marie Van Nuffel’s mark of 2:36.80 had stood since 1979 but Vanderelst sliced almost one second from that mark in Heusden by finishing third in 2:35.98.
Vanderelst, who will be competing for Belgium in the 1500m in Tokyo, finished third behind Kenya’s Mary Moraa (2:34.71) with Russian neutral athlete Aleksandra Gulyayeva second in 2:35.80.
Full results here.