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.
Niels 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
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] 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]
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