Niels Laros (pronounced [nils laːˈrɔs]; born 17 April 2005) is a Dutch middle- and long-distance runner. He competes in distances from 800 metres to 5000 metres on the track, on the road, and cross country.
_2023.jpg) Niels Laros during 2023 Gouden Spike | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 17 April 2005 Oosterhout, Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field, cross country | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 800m, 1500m, Mile, 2000m, 3000m, 5000m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal bests | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Laros is the world under-20 record holder in the 1000 metres with a time of 2:14.39 minutes set on 7 July 2024, the European under-20 record holder in the 1500 metres with a time of 3:29.54 minutes set on 6 August 2024, and the European under-20 record holder in the mile with a time of 3:48.93 minutes set on 16 September 2023.
He is the 2022 European Under-18 Champion in the 1500 metres and 3000 metres and the 2023 European Under-20 Champion in the 1500 metres and 5000 metres. He was European Athletics Rising Star of the Year in 2024.
Early and personal life
editNiels Laros was born on 17 April 2005.[1] From Oosterhout, Laros' parents, Marcel Laros and Sandra Laros-Hofmans, were both runners. His brother Lars is a college athlete. He attended school at Oelbert Gymnasium in Oosterhout. He began to be coached by Tomasz Lewandowski in 2022.[2][3][4] He divided his final high school in two parts to allow him to participate in training camps with Lewandowski.[5]
Youth and junior career
editIn 2022, Laros set new U18 European 1500m and 3000m records which had previously been held by Jakob Ingebrigtsen.[6]
In May 2023, he lowered the Dutch national junior record in the 5000 meters to 13.23.01.[7] In June 2023 running in Nice, aged eighteen, he equalled the 22 year-old Dutch 1500m national record of 3:32.89 held by Gert-Jan Liefers.[8] He was selected to represent the Netherlands in the men's 1500m at the 2023 European Athletics Team Championships.[9] He finished third in the event, behind winner Mohamed Katir.[10] Selected for the 1500m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, he qualified for the final, in which he ran a new national record time of 3:31.25.[11] In September 2023, he set a new national record of 3:48.93 in the mile, at the Diamond League final in Eugene, Oregon.[12]
In February 2024, he set a new Dutch record and European U20 record for the 5km, running 13:26 on the road in Monaco.[13] In July 2024, he set a world under-20 record over 1000 metres of 2:14.37 in Hengelo.[14] He competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics over 1500 metres and ran a personal best and European U20 record to place sixth in the final.[15]
He won the U20 race at the 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey in December 2024.[16][17]
Personal bests
editInformation from his World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[1]
| Event | Time | Location | Date | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800 metres | 1:44.78 | Monaco City, Monaco | 21 July 2023 | NU20R |
| 800 metres short track | 1:47.16 | Toruń, Poland | 6 February 2024 | NU20R |
| 1000 metres | 2:14.39 | Hengelo, Netherlands | 7 July 2024 | NR WU20R |
| 1500 metres | 3:29.54 | Paris, France | 6 August 2024 | NR AU20R |
| Mile | 3:48.93 | Eugene, OR, USA | 16 September 2023 | NR AU20R |
| 2000 metres | 4:49.68 | Brussels, Belgium | 8 September 2023 | NR |
| 3000 metres | 7:48.25 | Zagreb, Croatia | 11 September 2022 | NU20R |
| 5000 metres | 13:23.01 | Oordegem, Belgium | 27 May 2023 | NU20R |
| 5 kilometres road | 13:26 | Monaco City, Monaco | 11 February 2024 | NR |
International competitions
editInformation from his World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[1]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | European U18 Championships | Jerusalem, Israel | 1st | 1500m | 3:49.99 | CR |
| 1st | 3000m | 8:11.49 | ||||
| 2023 | European Team Championships First Division | Chorzów, Poland | 3rd | 1500m | 3:37.59 | |
| European U20 Championships | Jerusalem, Israel | 1st | 1500m | 3:56.78 | ||
| 1st | 5000m | 14:11.82 | ||||
| World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 10th | 1500m | 3:31.25 | NR | |
| European Cross Country Championships | Brussels, Belgium | 2nd | U20 race | 16:10 | ||
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 23rd (h) | 800m | 1:46.62 | |
| Olympic Games | Paris, France | 6th | 1500m | 3:29.54 | NR | |
| European Cross Country Championships | Antalya, Turkey | 1st | U20 race | 14:07 |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Niels Laros". World Athletics. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Geula, Alex (16 June 2023). "Meet Niels Laros, The 18-Year-Old Dutch Sensation Who Has Run 1:45.8 for 800m and 13:23 for 5,000m". Lets Run. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Schelvis, Wouter (15 May 2022). "Loopbaan Niels Laros in stroomversnelling: 17-jarige tekent bij Nike, gaat naar Papendal en pakt record". bndestem.nl. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Schelvis, Wouter (11 July 2021). "Niels Laros hoopt dat familie hem ziet schitteren op de 3000 meter tijdens jeugd-EK". bndestem.nl.
- ^ "Rising Dutch Runner Niels Laros Sets New Middle-Distance Standards". Runnerstribe. 17 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ Dickinson, Marley (12 September 2022). "The 17-year-old Dutch runner who's quietly breaking Jakob Ingebrigtsen's junior records". Runningmagazine.ca. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "Niels Laros breaks another record: 'But that's not what I'm doing it for'". bd.nl. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "18-year-old Niels Laros Equalls Dutch 1500m record with 3:32.89 in Nice". Watch Athletics. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Running talent Laros endures a pounding headache for top times". Welingelichtekringen. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Men's 1500m Results - 2023 European Athletics Team Championships 1st Division". Watch Athletics. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Men's 1500m Results: World Athletics Championships 2023". Watch Athletics. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ Henderson, Jason (16 September 2023). "Ingebrigtsen out-duels Nuguse at Diamond League final". World Athletics. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "Fastest ever European U20 5km for Laros while Almgren blazes to 59:23 half marathon". European Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Schilder, Laros and Bol boost home pride in Hengelo". World Athletics. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "Men's 1500m Results - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ "Ingebritsen wins euro cross country title". BBC Sport. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "U20 favourites FitzGerald and Laros live up to expectations". European Athletics. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
