2024 European Athletics Championships – Women's 400 metres hurdles

Women's 400 metres hurdles
at the 2024 European Athletics Championships
Photo of Louise Maraval, Femke Bol, and Cathelijn Peeters wearing track suits and holding their medals and stuffed mascots
Louise Maraval, Femke Bol, and Cathelijn Peeters at the medal ceremony on 11 June 2024
VenueStadio Olimpico[1]
LocationRome, Italy
Dates
  • 9 June 2024 (round 1)
  • 10 June 2024 (semifinals)
  • 11 June 2024 (final)
Competitors35 from 21 nations
Winning time52.49 s CR
Medalists
gold medal    Netherlands
silver medal    France
bronze medal    Netherlands
← 2022
2026 →

The women's 400 metres hurdles at the 2024 European Athletics Championships took place in three rounds at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, from 9 to 11 June 2024. This was the sixteenth time that the women's 400 metres hurdles was contested at the European Athletics Championships. A total of 37 athletes qualified for the event by entry standard, ranking, or wild card. The startlists contained 35 athletes from 21 nations.

The three heats of the first round were held on 9 June, where the thirteen fastest athletes qualified for the semifinals in addition to the eleven athletes with the highest ranking who had a bye in the first round and automatically qualified for the semifinals. The three heats of the semifinals were held on 10 June, where the two fastest athletes of each heat and the two fastest of the rest qualified for the final. Fatoumata Binta Diallo set a Portuguese record of 54.65 seconds in the semifinals.

The final was held on 11 June. Femke Bol from the Netherlands finished in first place in 52.49 seconds, breaking her previous championship record and successfully defending her European title from 2022. Louise Maraval from France finished second in 54.23 seconds, followed by Cathelijn Peeters from the Netherlands in third place in 54.37 seconds.

Background

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At the European Athletics Championships, the women's 400 metres hurdles was introduced at the 1978 edition in Prague, Czechoslovakia and had been contested fifteen times before 2024: every four years until 2010 and every two years after, with the exception of the 2020 edition that was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[2][3][4] At the previous edition in 2022, Femke Bol won in a championship record of 52.67 seconds.[5] At the start of the 2024 edition, Bol also held the European record of 51.45 seconds and had a European leading time of 53.07 seconds.[6] The world record and the world leading time were set by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone from the United States.[7][8]

Records before the 2024 European Athletics Championships
Record Athlete (nation) Time (s) Location Date
World record  Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) 50.68[7] Eugene, United States 22 July 2022
European record  Femke Bol (NED) 51.45[6] London, United Kingdom 23 July 2023
Championship record 52.67[6] Munich, Germany 19 August 2022
World leading  Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) 52.70[8] Atlanta, United States 31 May 2024
Europe leading  Femke Bol (NED) 53.07[6] Stockholm, Sweden 2 June 2024

Qualification

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For the women's 400 metres hurdles event, the qualification period was from 27 May 2023 to 26 May 2024.[9] Athletes could qualify by running the entry standard of 55.70 seconds or faster, by ranking in the top 100 of the World Athletics Ranking for this event, or by receiving a wild card.[9] The only wild card was given to Femke Bol, but she would also have qualified with her European record of 51.45 seconds from 23 July 2023 or with her No. 1 event ranking.[6][9][10] A total of 37 athletes qualified: 21 by entry standard, 15 by ranking, and 1 by wild card. A maximum of three athletes per nation could compete, or four when a wild card was given, which led to one athlete from Italy being cut.[9] The remaining places were filled with the next best ranking athletes.[9] A final entry list containing 38 athletes from 22 nations was published on 3 June 2024.[11] The eventual startlists contained 35 athletes from 21 nations.[6][12]

Results

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Round 1

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On 9 June 2024, the first round was held in three heats, starting at 12:40 (UTC+2) in the afternoon. There were 24 athletes on the startlist, of whom 22 finished their races. The thirteen fastest athletes advanced to the semifinals (q); the eleven highest-ranked athletes received a bye in the first round and automatically qualified for the semifinals (Q). Five athletes set personal bests (PB), and another two athletes equalled their personal best times (=PB).[6]

Results of round 1[6]
Rank Heat Lane Name Nation Time (s) Note
1 3 4 Nikoleta Jíchová  Czech Republic (CZE) 54.88 q, =PB
2 2 8 Eileen Demes  Germany (GER) 55.25 q, PB
3 3 2 Yasmin Giger  Switzerland (SUI) 55.33 q, SB
4 3 3 Kristiina Halonen  Finland (FIN) 55.62 q, PB
5 2 6 Daniela Fra  Spain (ESP) 55.71 q, PB
6 2 3 Paulien Couckuyt  Belgium (BEL) 55.73 q
7 3 7 Fatoumata Binta Diallo  Portugal (POR) 55.81 q
8 1 2 Sára Mátó  Hungary (HUN) 55.95 q
9 3 5 Linda Olivieri  Italy (ITA) 55.95 q
10 3 8 Moa Granat  Sweden (SWE) 55.95 q, EU23L
11 2 2 Daniela Ledecká  Slovakia (SVK) 56.17 q, SB
12 1 4 Amalie Iuel  Norway (NOR) 56.23 q
13 2 9 Izabela Smolińska  Poland (POL) 56.24 q, PB
14 1 3 Hilla Uusimäki  Finland (FIN) 56.40
15 2 5 Annina Fahr  Switzerland (SUI) 56.59 SB
16 2 4 Dimitra Gnafaki  Greece (GRE) 56.62 SB
17 1 6 Vera Barbosa  Portugal (POR) 56.81
18 1 7 Anna Gryc  Poland (POL) 56.91 =PB
19 3 9 Kelly McGrory  Ireland (IRL) 57.10 PB
20 3 6 Elisabeth Slettum  Norway (NOR) 57.16 SB
21 1 8 Agata Zupin  Slovenia (SLO) 57.83
22 1 9 Mariya Buryak  Ukraine (UKR) 58.40
1 5 Alexandra Ştefania Uţă  Romania (ROM) DNF
2 7 Janka Molnár  Hungary (HUN) DNS

Semifinals

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On 10 June 2024, 24 athletes competed in the semifinals, divided over three heats, starting at 13:15 (UTC+2) in the afternoon. The first two athletes in each heat (Q) and the two fastest athletes of the rest (q) advanced to the final. In the first heat, Fatoumata Binta Diallo set a Portuguese record (NR) of 54.65 seconds; and another eight athletes set personal bests (PB) in various heats of the semifinals.[12]

Results of the semifinals[12]
Rank Heat Lane Name Nation Time (s) Note
1 2 5 Femke Bol*  Netherlands (NED) 54.16 Q
2 1 6 Louise Maraval*  France (FRA) 54.36 Q, PB
3 1 8 Lina Nielsen*  Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) 54.43 Q, PB
4 1 7 Ayomide Folorunso*  Italy (ITA) 54.52 q, SB
5 3 7 Line Kloster*  Norway (NOR) 54.56 Q, SB
6 2 7 Nikoleta Jíchová  Czech Republic (CZE) 54.59 Q, PB
7 1 4 Fatoumata Binta Diallo  Portugal (POR) 54.65 q, NR
8 3 5 Cathelijn Peeters*  Netherlands (NED) 54.66 Q
9 3 8 Alice Muraro*  Italy (ITA) 54.73 PB
10 2 4 Amalie Iuel  Norway (NOR) 54.89 =SB
11 2 6 Viivi Lehikoinen*  Finland (FIN) 54.92 SB
12 2 8 Anna Ryzhykova*  Ukraine (UKR) 54.95 SB
13 2 9 Linda Olivieri  Italy (ITA) 54.99 PB
14 1 9 Yasmin Giger  Switzerland (SUI) 55.05 PB
15 3 9 Paulien Couckuyt  Belgium (BEL) 55.24
16 2 2 Sára Mátó  Hungary (HUN) 55.35 PB
17 1 5 Hanne Claes*  Belgium (BEL) 55.36 SB
18 3 4 Eileen Demes  Germany (GER) 55.64
19 1 3 Kristiina Halonen  Finland (FIN) 55.83
20 1 2 Daniela Ledecká  Slovakia (SVK) 55.83 PB
21 3 2 Moa Granat  Sweden (SWE) 55.89 EU23L
22 3 6 Jessie Knight*  Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) 56.01
23 3 3 Daniela Fra  Spain (ESP) 56.27
24 2 3 Izabela Smolińska  Poland (POL) 56.78
*Athletes who received a bye into the semifinal

Final

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Photo with a frontal view of Femke Bol jumping over a hurdle and Cathelijn Peeters, Lina Nielsen, Louise Maraval, and Line Kloster running between hurdles while being watched by spectators behind a fence
Lanes 9 to 5 during the last 100 metres of the final on 11 June 2024

On 11 June 2024, the final race with eight athletes was held at 21:18 (UTC+2) in the evening.[13] Femke Bol of the Netherlands was leading the race from the second hurdle, gradually increasing her lead over the next eight hurdles and finishing first in 52.49 seconds.[13] With this time, she set a world leading mark (WL) and broke her own championship record (CR) of 52.67 seconds by 0.18 seconds.[8] In addition to a gold medal, Bol also received a golden crown for the highest scoring performance in the category of women's sprints and hurdles at this tournament.[14][15] Louise Maraval of France finished in second place 1.74 seconds after Bol, setting a new personal best (PB) of 54.23 seconds, and another 0.14 seconds later, Cathelijn Peeters of the Netherlands finished third in 54.37 seconds.[13] The medal ceremony was later that evening.[16]

Results of the final[8][13]
Rank Lane Name Nation Time (s) Note
1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 Femke Bol  Netherlands (NED) 52.49 CR, WL
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 Louise Maraval  France (FRA) 54.23 PB
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 9 Cathelijn Peeters  Netherlands (NED) 54.37
4 4 Nikoleta Jíchová  Czech Republic (CZE) 54.91
5 2 Ayomide Folorunso  Italy (ITA) 55.20
6 5 Line Kloster  Norway (NOR) 55.29
7 8 Lina Nielsen  Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) 55.65
8 3 Fatoumata Binta Diallo  Portugal (POR) 55.65

References

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  1. ^ "European Athletics Championships – Women's 400 Metres Hurdles", World Athletics, 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Statistics Handbook", European Athletics, 2014. Archived 8 August 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Sowjet Unie beheerst Europese atletiek" (in Dutch), De Waarheid, 4 September 1978. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Paris 2020 European Athletics Championships cancelled", European Athletics, 23 April 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Warholm and Bol break championship records for 400m hurdles success in Munich", World Athletics, 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "400m Hurdles Women – Round 1 – Results Summary", European Athletics, 9 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Preview | Bol narrowing her individual focus on defending 400m hurdles title", European Athletics, 5 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d "Mihambo and Diaz Fortun soar as records fall at European Championships in Rome", World Athletics, 13 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e "European Athletics Championships Qualifying System – Women's 400 Metres Hurdles", European Athletics, 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  10. ^ "World Rankings – Women's 400mH", World Athletics, 26 May 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Final Entries – Athletes List by event and SB – European Athletics Championships 2024, Roma (ITA)", European Athletics, 3 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  12. ^ a b c "400m Hurdles Women – Semi-Finals – Results Summary", European Athletics, 10 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d "400m Hurdles Women – Finals – Results Summary", European Athletics, 11 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Bol, Warholm and Elkasevic win Gold Crowns, with seven still to be decided", European Athletics, 12 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  15. ^ "New Gold Crown contest for Roma 2024", European Athletics, 3 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Podiumceremonie met Bol, Peeters en Van Es • Jiya vijfde: 'Nadenken heeft me genekt'" (in Dutch), NOS, 11 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
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