Less than one week since world champion Femke Bol announced her shock switch from the 400m hurdles to the 800m on Friday 10 October, the athletics world has given its reaction, here are some of the best.
Talking with Citius Mag at the ATHLOS NYC meeting, Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson, Olympic 800m champion revealed: “She actually texted me before she announced it. She wanted to, like, be a really good friend. So, we have been friends for a long time, and I really respect our friendship.
“And, yeah, I think it's really brave and courageous. To be honest, I don't think Femke has got any experience in the distance at all.
“So, to want to take that step and come into an event - the last couple of years, that’s been like really firing, girls are winning insanely fast times - I think is, yeah, I commend her for wanting to do that, and I wish her all the best.
“And I think she's got the talent to do really well. It might take some time to, you know, get up, learn the event and learn a whole new you know, she's never running with people around you trying to disrupt your race. That's a whole different ball game.
“But yeah, I think she'll smash it, and I'll look forward to seeing what she does.”
Norway's Henriette Jaeger, European U23 champion to Citius Mag at the ATHLOS NYC meeting: “Yes, I was little bit shocked, but I think it's so, so cool. I'm a big Femke fan, and I think she will nail it, as she always does.
“I (did) heptathlon when I was younger and 800m is the last event. And to be honest, I hate it, but my mom said you need to do it, so maybe I should try it next year too?!”
Poland's former European 100m hurdles champion Pia Skrzyszowska reacted to the post on Instagram announcing the switch, "You craaaaazy".
Great Britain’s Georgia Hunter-Bell, world 800m silver medallist also responded on Instagram, saying: "So exciting Femke! Some serious global finals pending."
USA’s world 100m and 200m champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden told Reuters: “I love it because it's her challenging herself. It's not like the 800m isn't already a very, very stacked event."
Laurent Meuwly, coach to Femke Bol, told NOS Sport: "I think she's a little scared. Femke is entering an event where she has no idea if she'll be successful.
“She isn't doing this because she thinks ‘Oh well, let's try it for a winter and see if it works.’ She wants to go all-in, put the hurdles aside, and be successful in the 800 meters."
“We know it takes time to win medals at major championships. She's already combined several events in recent years. If things don't work out, there's always a chance we can go back to one of those events.”
Dominican Republic’s Olympic 400m champion Marileidy Paulino also responded on social media, saying: “I plan on trying (the 800m) next year too, but just as a test”.
European U23 800m champion Audrey Werro of Switzerland simply posted: “Welcome to the event!”