BREDA - Churandy Martina has won the title in the 200 meters at his last NK Athletics. The 36-year-old sprinter grabbed the gold in Breda in a time of 20.76. He was awarded the gold medal by his mother. She traveled to the Netherlands as a surprise to see him in action.
Martina won the title in the 200 meters for the sixth time in his career. He was also the champion in the 100 meters seven times, but he skipped that distance this year. The experienced sprinter is preparing for his fifth Olympic Games.
He runs the relay with the men in the 4x100 meters in Tokyo. There is no individual start. The 20.76 was well above the Olympic limit of 20.24.
Curaçao native Liemarvin Bonevacia dethroned Jochem Dobber as champion in the 400 meters. Bonevacia won in 44.99 and thus remained just above the Olympic limit of 44.90.
Both were part of the relay team that won gold in March in the 4x400 meters at the European Indoor Championships and secured an Olympic ticket for the Netherlands at the World Relays in May. Bonevacia is probably allowed to start individually in the 400 meters in Tokyo, because he is high enough in the world rankings.