News26 Mar 2015


Home star Schippers to sprint in Hengelo

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The Netherlands' Dafne Schippers in action in the 200m (© Getty Images)

Triple European sprint champion Dafne Schippers will compete on 24 May at the AA Drink FBK Games in Hengelo, organisers of the IAAF World Challenge meeting have announced.

Schippers, who won gold in both the 100m and 200m at last year’s European Championships and followed it up with 60m gold at this month’s European Indoor Championships, will contest the 100m in the Dutch city.

“The AA Drink FBK Games comes at just the right time for me,” said the all-round talent. “It’s great to be able to sprint in a significant competition a week before (the Hypo Meeting in) Gotzis.

“The other thing I like about Hengelo is that I can invite people to come and watch.”

Meeting director Hans Kloosterman is delighted that Schippers is the first athlete to be announced for Hengelo.

“At this moment in time, Dafne is the leading Dutch athlete,” he said. “With her on the start line, I’m sure our spectators will witness a wonderful 100m race.”

Schippers competed in the 100m at last year’s FBK Games, finishing seventh in 11.34, but went on to break the Dutch record one month later with a time of 11.03 in Glasgow. She also reduced her own Dutch 200m record to 22.03 when winning the European title in Zurich.

But having set national records in the long jump (6.78m) and heptathlon (6545) last year, Schippers is still undecided about which events to focus on at this year’s IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015. Her performances in May in both Hengelo and Gotzis could help make up her mind.

Organisers for the IAAF

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