Hodgkinson Falls Short as Werro Claims European 800m Crown

A New Ruler Emerges in Birmingham

Constantvpn.com – Switzerland’s Audrey Werro produced a masterful performance to claim European 800m gold, denying Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson a historic third consecutive title at the championships in Birmingham. The thrilling women’s final saw the Swiss athlete overcome Hodgkinson in the closing stages to secure her first senior international championship medal.

The eagerly awaited showdown featured what many expected to be a three-way contest between Hodgkinson, the 22-year-old Werro, and Dutch star Femke Broeders-Bol. Inside the packed Alexander Stadium, a captivated crowd of 23,000 witnessed what would become a defining moment in European athletics.

Championship Record Performance

Werro, who had already established herself as the fastest athlete since the world record was set four decades ago this season, finished in a championship-record time of one minute 54.81 seconds. The performance marked the first sub-1:54 clocking since 1983, highlighting the extraordinary level of competition in women’s middle-distance running.

Hodgkinson, the Olympic champion seeking to reassert her dominance, was roared on by her home support throughout the race. Despite her efforts to overhaul her new rival in the final stages, she could only manage silver in 1:55.01.

> “Mixed emotions,” Hodgkinson told the BBC. “I think with that level of competition, any medal is a really good achievement and another one to add to my collection, so I can never be disappointed with that. But I’m defending champion, so I wanted to do that.”

The British athlete continued: “I knew it was going to come down to the wire but I really thought I was going to win today. It wasn’t meant to be. I didn’t do anything wrong – it was just one of those things.”

Werro's Remarkable Comeback

Werro’s triumph carried additional significance given her semi-final drama. The Swiss athlete suffered a nasty fall during her qualifying race on Thursday when France’s Anais Bourgoin’s left hand clipped her right foot. Replays clearly showed the incident, and despite clutching her chest in pain as she jogged across the finish line, Werro was reinstated into the final after a race against time to recover.

This dramatic setback made her gold medal all the more impressive. The European under-23 champion had previously stunned Hodgkinson when she surged past her at the Stockholm Diamond League this summer, producing that remarkable sub-1:54 performance.

Broeders-Bol's Third Place

Dutch star Femke Broeders-Bol finished third in 1:55.54, adding to the competitive depth of the race. The two-time world 400m hurdles champion has made rapid progress since switching events this season and can expect only to improve with World Championship gold up for grabs next year.

British Athletics Success

Hodgkinson’s silver medal represented the British team’s 10th medal in five days at their home championships. It was also the 24-year-old’s 12th senior international medal since she claimed her first as a teenager at the European Indoor Championships five years ago.

The silver came after Zharnel Hughes had earlier taken silver in the men’s 200m, where Germany’s Owen Ansah claimed victory in 19.95 seconds. Hughes, the world 100m bronze medallist in 2023 and fastest European this year, entered the championships as the British record-holder but was overtaken by the fast-finishing German in the final.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson also competed on day one of the heptathlon, ending in 17th position overall. Despite a difficult season dealing with injuries, she expressed satisfaction with her performance, saying she was “just happy to be here.”

Looking Ahead

Werro’s victory crashed Hodgkinson’s bid to become the first British woman to win three consecutive European titles in the same event. The Swiss athlete has proven herself to be a force to be reckoned with on athletics’ biggest stages over the coming years.

For Hodgkinson, the silver medal serves as motivation for future races. Having achieved the first major outdoor title of her career at the European Championships in 2022 before retaining the title in Rome two years ago, she vowed not to allow this setback to define her campaign.

The competitive landscape of women’s 800m has clearly evolved, with multiple athletes capable of challenging for supremacy. As the sport looks toward the World Championships next year, the battle between Hodgkinson, Werro, and Broeders-Bol promises to be one of the most compelling storylines in athletics.