Dutch runner Femke Bol breaks own 400m indoor world record

Two-time world champion Femke Bol lowered her own world record in the indoor 400 metres at the Dutch national championships in Apeldoorn on Sunday.

The 23-year-old, who raced to gold in the 400m hurdles and 4x400 relay at the world championships last year in Budapest, clocked a time of 49.24 seconds, shaving two-hundredths of a second off her previous record set on the same track a year earlier.

Bol also dipped under the 50-second barrier indoors for the sixth time in her career.

4️⃣9️⃣.2️⃣4️⃣! 🚨

Watch Femke Bol 🇳🇱 break her world indoor 400m record at the Dutch Indoor Championships! 🚀

Video from @Atletiekunie pic.twitter.com/A8zrxvTV8Q

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) February 18, 2024

WORLD RECORD 🌎

Femke Bol does it again 😤

49.24 to win the Dutch 400m title. pic.twitter.com/dZnjkGjxaY

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) February 18, 2024

"I never get used to it, especially with all these people cheering on home soil," Bol told reporters. "It's a dream come true to run another world record and it's wonderful to have all these Dutch fans enjoying the most beautiful sport in the world."

Bol will seek her first world indoor title in Glasgow next month.