The Netherlands on Saturday snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as two of their most famed athletes, Sifan Hassan and Femke Bol, fell meters from the line with World Athletics Championship golds within their grasp.
Both had entertained hopes of several titles in Budapest, but Hassan came to grief 20m from the end of the 10,000m to gift victory to Ethiopian rival Gudaf Tsegay.
As Tsegay crossed back over the line and embraced her, the Ethiopia-born Hassan smiled despite the realization that her dreams of an unprecedented 10,000m, 5,000m and 1,500m treble had ended.
Photo: Reuters
“I am keeping my smile, but it is really hard,” Hassan said. “I am very disappointed. This is sport, these things happen. I just had a bad moment.”
Bol saw victory in the 4x400m mixed relay just minutes later slip from her grasp as, pressured by American Alexis Holmes, she stumbled and fell with the line begging.
She staggered over the line, but without the all-important baton and, distraught, was consoled by her teammates. The Americans took gold in a world record of 3 minutes, 8.80 seconds.
Bol, like Hassan, would have to pick herself up as she is the hot favorite in the absence of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone for the 400m hurdles and would also be in the women’s 4x400 relay team.
“I do not know what happened,” Bol said. “It has never happened to me before. I cramped towards the finish line, I was pushing, pushing, pushing.”
There was also drama in the men’s shot put final but only due to the pitch-perfect display by defending champion Ryan Crouser.
The 30-year-old American, the two-time Olympic champion and world record holder, did not let down World Athletics president Sebastian Coe. who had picked it as his event to savor.
Despite his preparation being affected by blood clots in his lower leg Crouser twice set a new championship record — saving the best for last as he threw 23.51m.
“That was a tough one,” Crouser said. “The last few days have been hard, so it with all that has happened it was a phenomenal throw.”
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