"I really love running in this stadium, it is so special and it is fantastic to showcase it on such a big stage," said Bol. She finished third at the Covide-delayed Tokyo Olympics when world record holder McLaughlin-Levrone took gold.

World champion Femke Bol has outdone herself. She set a new meet record by winning the women's 400m hurdles at the Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday. It was the Dutch athlete's last meet before the Paris Olympics and the perfect preparation for the Olympic stage. Bol clocked 51.30 seconds, shaving 0.15 seconds off her previous best set at the London Stadium last year.

"I am very happy with my performance today. I am working on my start and getting over the first hurdle," she said. Bol became the second woman to break 51 seconds in the demanding event. She is now putting the finishing touches to her preparations for the Games.

Looking ahead to Paris, Bol said the thought of competing against McLaughlin-Levrone was exciting. "I am really looking forward to Paris. Of course I want to give my best," she said.

"I am looking forward to competing against Sydney; it will push us both. I will be ready for that and obviously for the relay," she added. The fans are eagerly anticipating this clash. For Bol, competing against McLaughlin-Levrone is both an inspiration and a motivation. 

Watching McLaughlin-Levrone compete on the track is remarkable and always newsworthy. Bol, on the other hand, is always looking to improve wherever she competes. 

Bol is having a near-perfect season. She won the 400m flat at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March before winning two gold medals and a bronze at the European Outdoor Championships in Rome in June, not to mention her appearances at various track and field events.

"Everyone goes their own way," she said when asked about her and McLaughlin-Levrone's different competition schedules. "We don't see each other much, but we'll see each other in Paris", she said.

American Shamier Little finished second in London with her season's best time of 52.78 seconds. Jamaica's Rushell Clayton completed the podium (53.24).

Little failed to secure one of the three spots on the US team for the hurdles. McLaughlin-Levrone won the trials with a world record time of 50.65 seconds. Femke Bol is closing in on that mark and on the American, making the anticipated duel between the two even more exciting for fans.

Little will be part of the women's 4 x 400 metre relay team. "I've never competed in a relay at this level, so I'm very excited. Being part of Team USA, we are expecting a medal and a good time, so I want to be a part of that," said the American.