Niels Laros

Dutch athlete

  • 800m: 1:44.78 (2023)
  • 1500m: 3:31.25 (2023, NR)
  • Mile: 3:48.93 (2023, NR)
  • 2000m: 4:49.68 (2023, NR)
  • 3000m: 7:48.25 (2022)
  • 5000m: 13:23.01 (2023)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Netherlands
European Games
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Kraków-Małopolska 1500 m
European U18 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Jerusalem 1500 m
Gold medal – first place 2022 Jerusalem 3000 m
European U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Jerusalem 1500 m
Gold medal – first place 2023 Jerusalem 5000 m
European Cross Country Championships
Silver medal – second place 2023 Brussels U20 race

Niels Laros (Dutch: [nils laːˈrɔs]; born 17 April 2005) is a Dutch middle and long-distance runner. In 2022, he became European under-18 champion over 3000m and 5000m. In 2023, he set a new Dutch senior record in the 1500 metres.[1]

Early and personal life

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]

Career

In 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]

Personal bests

Information from his World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[1]

Event Time (m:s) Venue 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
1500 metres 3:31.25 Budapest, Hungary 23 August 2023 NR
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

Information from his World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[1]

Representing the  Netherlands
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

References

  1. ^ a b c "Niels Laros". World Athletics. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Schelvis, Wouter (11 July 2021). "Niels Laros hoopt dat familie hem ziet schitteren op de 3000 meter tijdens jeugd-EK". bndestem.nl.
  5. ^ "Rising Dutch Runner Niels Laros Sets New Middle-Distance Standards". Runnerstribe. 17 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Niels Laros breaks another record: 'But that's not what I'm doing it for'". bd.nl. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  8. ^ "18-year-old Niels Laros Equalls Dutch 1500m record with 3:32.89 in Nice". Watch Athletics. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Running talent Laros endures a pounding headache for top times". Welingelichtekringen. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Men's 1500m Results - 2023 European Athletics Team Championships 1st Division". Watch Athletics. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Men's 1500m Results: World Athletics Championships 2023". Watch Athletics. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  12. ^ Henderson, Jason (16 September 2023). "Ingebrigtsen out-duels Nuguse at Diamond League final". World Athletics. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Fastest ever European U20 5km for Laros while Almgren blazes to 59:23 half marathon". European Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.

External links

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