Netherlands’ Femke Bol holds unbelievable Diamond League streak

Over five years and 30 Diamond League meetings, the Netherlands’ Femke Bol has never lost a race. On Thursday at Zürich’s Letzigrund Stadium, the reigning world champion flew to her fifth straight Diamond League Final win–and US$30,000 pay day–in the 400m hurdles, lowering her own meeting record to 52.18 seconds.

 

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Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalová of Slovakia finished second in 53.18–a full second behind Bol. Andrenette Knight of Jamaica took third in 53.76.

“I don’t think [pressure] is necessarily a bad thing,” Bol said at the Weltklasse Zürich pre-meet press conference. “It helps me to be sharp and be ready.”

Bol’s Diamond League Finals

• 2021: 52.80 (Zürich)
• 2022: 53.03 (Zürich)
• 2023: 51.98 (Prefontaine Classic, Eugene, Ore.)
• 2024: 52.45 (Brussels)
• 2025: 52.18 (Zürich)

With a personal best of 50.95, the 25-year-old is the second-fastest runner of all time in the 400m hurdles–and the current world record holder in the indoor 400m (49.17). The next-longest streak belongs to Swedish pole vault G.O.A.T. Mondo Duplantis, who also boasts five consecutive Diamond League Final titles and an undefeated meeting streak of 19.

💎💎💎💎💎

Unbeaten in 5 years and 30 races of @Diamond_League! https://t.co/1jJjjd8Z5C

— Laurent Meuwly (@LaurentMeuwly) August 28, 2025

But the hurdles remain ruled by Bol’s American rival Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: the reigning back-to-back Olympic champion, 2022 world champion, six-time world record setter, first woman to dip under both 52 and 51 seconds and owner of six of the 10 fastest times in history.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sets her sights on new event at World Championships

Last summer in Paris, Bol had to settle for Olympic bronze behind McLaughlin-Levrone–who, unsurprisingly, broke her own world record again with a 50.37–and American Anna Cockrell. But with the 2025 World Championships fast approaching, the Dutchwoman suddenly looks like the favourite: McLaughlin-Levrone has chosen the flat 400m and skip her signature hurdles event. That opens the door for not just Bol, but also for Canada’s Savannah Sutherland, ranked third in the world this year and ninth all-time, to make a push for the podium.

The first round of the 400m hurdles at worlds is set for Sept. 15.