Swiss holds off Keely Hodgkinson to clinch title, while Femke Broeders-Bol ends first championships 800m with bronze.
Audrey Werro might have been knocked down, but she got up again to win the first major senior title of her career in hugely impressive style as the women's 800m final at the European Championships in Birmingham lived up to the hype on Friday night (August 14).
The Swiss, reinstated after being tripped and then finishing last during Thursday’s semi-finals, brushed off any lingering bumps or bruises with a show of real strength to break the championships record and take gold in 1:54.81, denying home favourite Keely Hodgkinson a third successive European title.
In her first championships 800m final, Femke Broeders-Bol equalled the Dutch national record with a time of 1:55.54 for bronze.
After that crashing fall, the watching world had wondered how much it might have taken out of Werro and how much it might affect her chances. But, if there was any lingering pain or difficulty, then the European under-23 champion certainly wasn’t showing it as she moved to the front, edging ahead of Hodgkinson approaching the 300m mark.
Werro was still leading as she hit the bell in 56.50, but was being tracked by Hodgkinson and Broeders-Bol who were happy to let her go to the front and bear the brunt of the blustery conditions.
Coming off the final bend, it was still all to play for for the trio who are at the start of what promises to be a fascinating rivalry. Broeders-Bol, as she has been known do so well in the 4x400m relay, looked ready to make a late charge but it didn’t materialise, leaving a two-way fight for gold ahead of her.
Hodgkinson pushed and, with around 50m to go, thought she was within touching distance of gold. But Werro, who became the first woman in 43 years to run under 1:54 earlier this summer, has discovered new levels of finishing strength and was not to be denied.
Gone was the championships record of 1:54.41 that had been set by Olga Mineyeva of the Soviet Union back in 1982 and it wasn’t long until the victor was roaring in celebration – a tradition she began after her father told her to “to be like a lion”.
"I am really happy with this medal after a crazy 24 hours," she said.
Second is not a place that sits well with Hodgkinson, whose outdoor season has not gone to plan – being beaten by Werro at the Stockholm Diamond League in June and then suffering a fall of her own last month, in training, that left her with deep cuts and swelling to her knees.
“We're all going to win some, lose some. S**t happens,” she said. “Audrey fell over yesterday. She made it back. I know what that took out of me a few weeks ago, so incredible [credit] to her. Life goes on. I'll go back and train and just hope I get it next time.
“It doesn't sting because I was beaten by a great athlete. I think I put together a pretty good race. I don't think I did anything wrong. The thing about the 800m is you have a million different ways of going in your head. You have to think on your feet, but I think I covered every move well. I just didn't have enough.
“In that last 50m, I really thought I had it but she's a strong athlete and sometimes in sport you can want it so much but sometimes the really brutal part is that it can’t be enough.”
The trio are due to race again towards the end of the month, at the Zurich Diamond League on August 27, and this first meeting suggests it is not going to be one to miss.
Broeders-Bol has proved herself to be a quick learner since her switch from the 400m hurdles. This was only her eighth 800m race at the top level and already she has a medal to show for her efforts.
"An equal national record and bronze in my first year? I couldn't dream of much more," she said. "[The wind] was why we all wanted to be behind someone. I could feel the win but I was behind Audrey and Keely and that's a nice shelter that helped.
"I think I need to make small steps to really be in the rivalry but it's amazing to be in this era. I stepped into the 800m when it was at a very high level but it got even higher this year. You just push each other to higher heights and they make me dream even bigger.
"I think Audrey's mindset is very strong. It's very strong after yesterday how she came back here today. I stepped on her shoes by accident at 200m and I was like: 'Oh, no!' but we both just have very long strides so that's quite tough. Her mindset is very tough but this push that she has from 600m to 800m... I don't where she gets it but I would like to learn where she gets it [from]."
