According to Reuters reporting from Birmingham, England on Aug 13, 2026, Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson secured her place in the women’s 800 metres final at the European Athletics Championships, while Swiss rival Audrey Werro advanced following a successful appeal after a dramatic fall on the final bend.
Hodgkinson Cruises Through Semi-Final as Werro Suffers Fall
Olympic gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson navigated a straightforward path to the final, winning her semi-final heat in 1:57.38, according to event coverage. The British runner led from the gun and held off the Netherlands’ Femke Broeders-Bol, who crossed the line just behind her.
“Another 1:57 so I’m happy,” Hodgkinson told reporters after the race, according to the source material. “The excitement makes me excited. I can’t wait to step out there.”
Audrey Werro Reinstated After Video Review
According to official results and video reviews cited in the reports, Audrey Werro’s place in the final remained in doubt for nearly 50 minutes after she crashed to the track with 120 metres remaining. The 22-year-old Swiss runner, who clocked the third-fastest time in history earlier in the season at 1:53.80 during the Paris Diamond League, was leading the opening semi-final when contact occurred.
Video footage reviewed by officials showed that the back of Werro’s right foot made contact with the left hand of French athlete Anaïs Bourgoin, acting like a tap-tackle. Werro crashed face-down onto the curb, clipping Lithuanian runner Gabija Galvydyte in the process. Werro finished last in 2:35.35.
“I made a conscious choice to try and manage the race at a moderate pace,” Werro said, as reported in the source text. “It’s always safer to run at the front, but today there were risks; I could sense things were hectic behind me. A fall can happen in an instant. I’ve only got a few scrapes.”
Following a successful appeal, both Werro and Galvydyte were reinstated, expanding the final to 10 runners.
Broeders-Bol Transitions to 800m
Femke Broeders-Bol enters the final as a formidable contender after transitioning from the 400m hurdles, where she holds two world titles. Broeders-Bol holds an indoor world record personal best of 49.17 seconds for the 400m, significantly faster than Werro’s 50.80 and Hodgkinson’s 51.14 personal bests in that distance.
“One of the reasons I went to the 800 is because I love to race, and tomorrow’s final is the ultimate race,” Broeders-Bol said, according to the source material.
Did you know?
Audrey Werro’s time of 1:53.80 at the Paris Diamond League on June 28 stands as the third-fastest women’s 800m time in history, trailing only the world record of 1:53.28 set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983, according to Reuters records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the main contenders in the European 800m final?
The final features Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, Swiss runner Audrey Werro, and Dutch 400m hurdles world champion Femke Broeders-Bol, according to event reporting.
Why was Audrey Werro allowed back into the final after finishing last?
According to official video reviews and subsequent appeals, race officials reinstated Werro after footage confirmed that French athlete Anaïs Bourgoin inadvertently tripped her with 120 metres remaining in the semi-final.
What is Audrey Werro’s personal best in the 800m?
According to Reuters, Werro ran the third-fastest women’s 800m time in history at 1:53.80 during the Paris Diamond League earlier in the season.
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