Dutch sprinting sensation Jonas Phijffers delivered a career-defining performance on home soil, storming to victory in the men’s 400m at the FBK Games 2025 in Hengelo.
The 21-year-old thrilled the local crowd by clocking a personal best of 44.93 seconds, dipping under the 45-second barrier for the first time and setting a new Dutch U23 record.
Phijffers, who entered the race with growing momentum after a string of impressive indoor and outdoor performances this season, held off a strong challenge from Brazil’s Matheus Lima, who crossed the line in 45.21 seconds. Germany’s Jean Bredau claimed third place with 45.78 seconds, while Botswana’s Olympic 4x400m silver medallist Busang Kebinatshipi was forced to pull up and did not finish.
The triumph marks a significant milestone in Phijffers’ rapidly rising career. Having clinched the Dutch U20 title over 400 metres in both 2021 and 2022, he went on to claim silver at the 2023 European Athletics U23 Championships in Espoo, Finland, setting a personal best of 45.38 seconds in the process.
Ahead of the 2025 indoor season, Phijffers signed a professional contract with New Balance, a move that seems to have fuelled his development on the track. During the winter months, he lowered his indoor 400m personal best twice — first to 46.17 seconds, and then to 45.90 seconds in February. However, his journey wasn’t without setbacks. At the Dutch Indoor Championships later that month, an aggressive start saw him fade to sixth place.
Despite the disappointment, he earned selection for the 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, where he made it to the semi-finals, clocking 46.49 seconds in his heat and 46.89 seconds in the semis. He was also part of the Dutch squad at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in China last month, competing in the men’s 4x400m relay.
Now, with this emphatic win at the FBK Games — one of the most prestigious one-day meets in the Netherlands — Phijffers has firmly announced his arrival on the senior international stage. His sub-45 second performance positions him as a rising contender in European athletics and a key figure to watch ahead of the 2025 European Athletics Championships later this summer.
