ROME - Liemarvin Bonevacia claimed bronze in the 400 meters at the European Athletics Championships in Rome. The 35-year-old athlete from Curaçao ran an impressive race, finishing with a time of 44.88 seconds, his best of the year. The gold went to Belgian Alexander Doom with a time of 44.15 seconds, while Brit Charles Dobson took silver in 44.38 seconds.
This marks the third time Bonevacia has medaled in an outdoor European Championship final in the 400 meters. He previously won bronze in Amsterdam in 2016 and finished fourth in Munich two years ago. His bronze performance in Rome came as a surprise to many, as he hadn't run an impressive race this season. However, Bonevacia knew he would succeed. "I knew after the semifinals that I would get that medal," he said.
The path to this medal was not without challenges. Bonevacia revealed that he went through a difficult period this year, struggling with himself and even contemplating retirement after the Paris Olympics. "I was in a kind of depression, couldn't sleep, and cried a lot. I often thought about quitting," he candidly shared.
The turnaround came after discussions with head coach Laurent Meuwly and others around him. He received advice and realized he didn't need to stop. "I love this too much, this is what I'm good at. I set new goals and decided not to end it yet."
In the final 120 meters of the race in Rome, Bonevacia thought of his son. "I thought of my son in the last 120 meters. I called him before going to the stadium and told him: daddy is coming with a medal for you. I don't know how I'll do it, but I'm coming with a medal."
Bonevacia has already secured his participation in the Paris Olympics, where he hopes to shine once again.