Para-athletics continues to grow within the FBK Games
Para-athletics once again took centre stage in the FBK Games programme on Sunday. During the 45th edition of this international athletics event, national and international para-athletes competed in front of a large crowd at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Stadium. As the presenting partner for para-athletics, Reggeborgh Foundation is helping to raise the profile and further develop the sport.
A number of national and international para-athletes competed at the stadium. Fleur Jong jumped 6.59 metres in the long jump. In the 100 metres, Ireland’s Orla Comerford was the fastest with a time of 11.76 seconds. Olivier Hendriks won the 200 metres in 21.66 seconds, whilst Lara Baars threw the shot put 9.47 metres, close to her world record of 9.77 metres.
For us, the partnership with the FBK Games is a great step towards raising the profile of para-athletics amongst a wider audience. Not by setting the sport apart, but rather by ensuring that para-athletes are an integral part of the full elite sport programme.
We are continuing to learn in this area and are keen to keep building an environment in which para-athletes receive the recognition their performances deserve. In this way, together with the FBK Games and the athletes involved, we hope to contribute to greater understanding, appreciation and awareness of para-athletics.
Top-level sport on a tropical day in Hengelo
There were also strong performances in the regular programme during the Netherlands’ only international elite athletics meeting. Fifteen athletics events were completed in just over two and a half hours. Dutch victories went to Jonas Phijffers, Niels Laros, Nadine Visser, Jessica Schilder and Femke Broeders-Bol.
For Broeders-Bol, the competition marked a special moment. Following her successful career in the 400-metre hurdles – which included world records and international titles – she is focusing on the 800 metres this season. In Hengelo, she ran her first 800-metre race on Dutch soil and immediately secured a convincing victory in 1:57.41. She took the lead after 400 metres and, thanks to a strong final sprint, never relinquished it.
“This way, I can enjoy this fantastic crowd for a good minute longer,” Broeders-Bol said afterwards.
She described 2026 as a learning year in which she wants to gain experience at her new distance. “I’ve gained a lot of experience from this again. I try to look at the split times as little as possible and run on instinct as much as possible.”
With the successful 2026 edition, the FBK Games and Reggeborgh Foundation have taken another step towards their shared ambition to further develop para-athletics and bring the sport closer to a wider audience.
This year, the fan zone was also buzzing with activity. Together with YU MAN RACE, we organised an obstacle run around the stadium, where the children really got active. Naturally, the fastest runners were presented with a medal and a certificate by Lara Baars.