Keely Hodgkinson’s reign as European 800m champion ended when Swiss athlete Audrey Werro claimed victory at the continental championships in Birmingham. The 24-year-old Briton, who secured Olympic gold at Paris, encountered a fresh wave of rivals that appears poised to shape the next phase of her career.
Hodgkinson’s outdoor season has presented multiple challenges despite a successful indoor campaign that saw her win a first world title and break the 24-year-old indoor world record. A muscle injury forced her withdrawal from the 400m final at the British Championships, while a training fall resulted in knee injuries that affected her performance at the U.S. championships in Eugene, where she finished behind world champion Lilian Odira. She rebounded with a victory at the London Diamond League before the Birmingham final.
Werro’s emergence as a dominant force marks a significant shift in the 800m landscape. The 22-year-old Swiss runner, who failed to advance from Olympic heats two years prior, has made remarkable progress. She improved her personal best by nearly two seconds in Stockholm and further lowered it to one minute 53.80 seconds in Paris, making her one of only two athletes to break 1:54 since the record was set in 1983. Her margin over Hodgkinson’s personal best of 1:54.33 now exceeds half a second.
Other formidable competitors have also emerged, including Dutch runner Femke Broeders-Bol, who switched to the 800m this season and claimed bronze in Birmingham with a time of 1:55.54. The intensifying competition extends to Hodgkinson’s training partner Georgia Hunter Bell and reigning world champion Odira.
Despite her disappointment in Birmingham, Hodgkinson has achieved her 12th senior international medal and continues to lower her personal bests across recent years. She has expressed confidence that the world record remains within reach, though she acknowledges that such a performance may become necessary simply to secure the titles she pursues. The upcoming World Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics promise fierce competition among this emerging generation of elite middle-distance runners.
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