Double Dutch despair at the World Athletics Championships as TWO gold medal favourites in successive races both stumble just metres from the finish line to miss out on glory
Double Dutch desperation at World Athletics Championships as TWO gold medal favorites in back-to-back races both stumble just yards from finish line to miss out on glory
The Netherlands took a beating at the World Athletics Championships, with two of their gold medal favorites limping meters from the finish.
The Europeans hoped for a successful evening on Saturday on the opening day of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
It was anything but, however, as disaster struck for two of their favourites.
Two-time Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and Femke Bol thought they had sealed gold medals for their countries in their respective races, but both fell in heartbreaking circumstances.
First, Hassan was in the 10,000km final which she was favorite for and made light work until the last 25 metres.
Sifan Hassan and Femke Bol thought they had sealed gold medals for their countries in their respective races, but both fell in their races
The Dutch athlete appeared to collide with Ethiopian runner Gudaf Tsefay, who won the race, when Hassan fell to the ground.
After the race, Hassan addressed BBC Sports while accusing Tsefay of pushing her.
“I was pushed,” she said. βThe girl ran out and I was blocked. But what can you do? It’s sport, it can happen.
“Maybe I’m crazy, but I felt a push and I’m at high speed, so I couldn’t control my legs. I don’t really care. It just happens. I still have two races to go, we’ll see what happens.”
Less than half an hour later, the Netherlands saw the same fate for runner Bol.
In the 4x400m mixed relay, finisher Bol looked set to secure the gold medal, but lost her footing and also fell to the ground.
She managed to recover and get to her feet to cross the line for what she thought would be a bronze medal.
However, after she dropped the baton, it was ruled that the Netherlands would not medal despite appearing to be out for gold with her country.
The Netherlands hopes to recover during the tournament, with Hassan racing two more times in Budapest to put the accident behind him.