She had nothing to lose. So she decided to win almost everything. Frenchwoman Louise Maraval (54″23, personal best) won the silver medal in the 400m hurdles on Tuesday evening in Rome, behind reigning world champion Femke Bol. 45 days before the Olympic Games in Paris, the The 24-year-old Dutchwoman crossed the line in 52″49 (championship record) and retains her European title acquired in Munich in 2022. The Dutch Cathelijn Peeters (54″37) ranks third.
With an impression of ease and a disconcerting relaxation, Bol imposed herself without ever trembling. In the process, she also achieved the best world performance of the year and passed her main rival for the Games, the American record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who broke 52″70 last month.