BUDAPEST, Sept 10 (Reuters) - When Femke Broeders-Bol traded the 400 metres hurdles for the 800m in February, the Dutchwoman entered one of athletics' most unforgiving disciplines armed with little more than faith in her coach and her competitive instincts.
Seven months later, the 26-year-old arrives at this week's World Athletics Ultimate Championships as a title contender alongside world leader Audrey Werro of Switzerland and Britain's Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in what has become one of track and field's most compelling rivalries.
Together, the trio have elevated the women's 800m to heights not seen in decades, putting Jarmila Kratochvilova's 43-year-old world record of one minute 53.28 seconds, long regarded as one of athletics' most untouchable marks, under threat.
Their meetings have repeatedly come down to fractions of a second.
"I never expected to be this fast straight away in my first season," Broeders-Bol said recently. "At first, I underestimated myself. My coach told me I had too much respect for the 800m. I'm learning how to use the fire I have in me."
For an athlete renowned for her fearless approach over hurdles, she had to learn to trust her fitness rather than fear the unknown.
"I literally had to overcome barriers in the 400-metre hurdles, but in the 800 metres I had to overcome mental barriers," said the double world 400m hurdles champion. "Since then, I've learned not to overthink things. Trust the process."
CLOSING THE GAP
While the two-minute barrier is a major benchmark in women's 800m running, in every race of Broeders-Bol's debut season she has been under that mark.
Week after week, she has closed the gap on the world's best. Broeders-Bol ran sub-1:55 in her last two races, including last week's Diamond League Final where she trailed winner Werro by just 0.06 seconds.
"I think what Femke has done is something that should be talked about a little more," said American sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
"It takes a certain type of athlete and a certain type of determination and mindset to want to not only take that leap of faith in trying something new, but also wanting to be really, really good at it."
Sweden's pole vault world record-holder Mondo Duplantis sees the same qualities.
"Fem is amazing," he said on a recent video call with media. "If there's anybody that's going to do that transition as well as somebody could do it, it would be her.
"She's such a student of the sport and the event, and she never leaves anything to chance."
'CROSSROADS OF METABOLISM'
There may be no event that rewards that thoroughness more than the 800m.
Sports physiologist Trent Stellingwerff describes it as "the crossroads of metabolism", a race demanding the perfect blend of speed, endurance and tactical awareness.
"From an energy system perspective, it is one of the hardest events to figure out and coach," he told Reuters.
"You're dealing with both significant aerobic and anaerobic demands, there is a large pure speed component, and tactically it is the hardest event to master."
That complexity is precisely what has captivated Broeders-Bol.
"Switching to the 800 metres meant stepping out of my comfort zone," she said. "I'm now realising what a fantastic discipline this is. It's much more about racing against opponents. More competition, more fun."
Stellingwerff said the 800m relies more heavily on the aerobic system than the 400m hurdles.
"Most experts would say the aerobic system can be more trainable over time, so I would suspect that Femke can continue to improve this in the coming years," the Canadian said.
Stellingwerff also noted that Broeders-Bol's background adds another layer of intrigue.
"Femke is a 400 metres hurdler, where long stride length and step counts are a critical success factor. But those long stride lengths and lower cadence can potentially be energetically costly in the last lap of an 800," he said.
It all makes for what should be a fascinating 800m final on Saturday.
Switzerland's Werro brings the fastest times, Briton Hodgkinson carries the Olympic pedigree and Broeders-Bol arrives with the momentum of an athlete discovering new limits almost every time she steps on the track.
In a season built on daring choices and fearless racing, her biggest leap may still be ahead of her.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
