"The crowd went crazy for you" - Femke Bol reacts to Paula Sevilla receiving fans support at European Athletics Team Championships

Femke Bol recently commented on the strong support Spanish sprinter Paula Sevilla received at her home arena in Madrid. Bol and Sevilla are currently competing at the 1st Division of the European Athletics Team Championships at the Estadio Vallehermoso in Madrid, which is scheduled from Friday, June 27, to Saturday, June 28, 2025.

Bol and Sevilla locked horns in the 400m race on Friday. While the Dutch star dominated the event with a stunning 49.48 seconds, Sevilla settled in third place with a personal best of 50.70 seconds. Natalia Bukowiecka clinched second place with 50.14 seconds. Along with Bol receiving massive fan support, the Spanish athlete also received an overwhelming response from fans at home.

Flattered by the response her competitor received, Bol shared a picture, capturing the beautiful moment of both athletes hugging, and wrote:

"The crowd went crazy for you, Spanish pride," adding a crow and heart-eye emoji.

"Congrats on an amazing PB," Bol added.

Sevilla was a Spanish national champion in the 100m in 2019 and 2020. While the Italian national squad is vying to defend the title after their first win in Silesia 2023, the Dutch squad is in pursuit of their first victory after registering their best result in sixth place in 2023. At the ongoing edition of the European Athletics Team Championships, the Netherlands is leading the table.

Femke Bol makes her feelings known after registering a meet record at the FBK Games

Femke Bol during the European Athletics Team Championships in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Getty Images)

After opening the 2025 season with her fastest season-opener at the Rabat Diamond League, clocking 52.46 seconds, Femke Bol registered a meet record at the FBK Games in Hengelo with 52.51 seconds. She attributed the victory to the changes she made in her technique.

“I've done it – I've got the meeting record,” said Bol. “To be honest, I didn't really think about a specific time or anything before the race, but I really wanted to win here in front of the home crowd."

“The first part (of the race) went really well, especially with the changes I've made recently. Obviously, I felt the pain and the lactate at the end of the race, but you just know that's coming. This result shows I'm on track. I ran faster than I usually do at this time of the year.” (via worldathletics.org).

Her meet record in Hengelo also neared the world lead registered by Sydney-McLaughlin-Levrone at the Grand Slam Track Miami with 52.07 seconds.

About the author

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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Edited by Pratham K Sharma