Keely Hodgkinson’s primary challenger for the European 800m gold medal has been granted a place in Friday’s final following a dramatic turn of events during Thursday’s opening semi-final. Audrey Werro, the 22-year-old Swiss standout who clocked the third-fastest time in history this past June, was initially eliminated after a mid-race collision left her sprawled on the track. The incident threatened to derail the highly anticipated clash between the Olympic gold medallist Hodgkinson, the rising Swiss star, and the Netherlands’ Femke Bol, the 400m hurdles world champion who has successfully transitioned to the 800m distance this season.
For nearly an hour following the race, Werro’s participation in the final remained uncertain as she had finished last in 2min 35.35sec. However, officials reinstated her into a 10-strong final field after a video review confirmed that the back of her right foot made contact with the left hand of French athlete Anaïs Bourgoin with 120m remaining. The contact, described as resembling a rugby tap-tackle, caused Werro to lose her stride and crash face-down onto the curb. Her fall subsequently caused the Lithuanian athlete Gabija Galvydyte to trip and hit the floor as well; both women were ultimately advanced to the final on appeal.
Reflecting on the incident, Werro noted the tactical difficulties of the race. “I made a conscious choice to try and manage the race at a moderate pace,” she explained. “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. It knocked the wind out of me at the time.” Britain’s Jemma Reekie, who won that semi-final in 1:58.61, was among the first to offer comfort to Werro as she crossed the finish line in distress.
Keely Hodgkinson navigated her own semi-final with ease, winning in 1:57.38 just ahead of Bol. When asked about the incident involving her rival, Hodgkinson remarked, “I heard the ‘oooh’ which is never a good sign, I don’t know what it looked like. You can’t worry about what happened to other people. I hope she’s OK and in the final for an exciting race.” Expressing satisfaction with her performance, Hodgkinson added, “Another 1:57 so I’m happy. The excitement makes me excited. I can’t wait to step out there. I love a good challenge, I think it brings out the best in me. So yeah, hopefully it will be a really good race, a clean race, no one falling over tomorrow.”
The tactical nature of the upcoming final remains a point of intense speculation, as neither Hodgkinson nor Werro will want a slow race given Bol’s superior speed. Bol holds an indoor world record of 49.17sec in the 400m, significantly faster than the personal bests of Werro (50.80) and Hodgkinson (51.14). Bol remains confident in her prospects, stating, “One of the reasons I went to the 800 is because I love to race, and tomorrow’s final is the ultimate race.” Regarding her position as an underdog compared to the other two favorites, Bol added, “Yeah, it’s different and quite nice. I’ve always said being the favourite is a privilege because you know you’re very strong on paper. But I feel I’ve never slept so well, and have never been this relaxed. So I think it brings its advantages as well.” The report also notes that her part in it was in doubt as she trudged home in last place and the official results showed she was out, but for 50 minutes or so after Werro’s huge tumble. The report also notes that neither Hodgkinson nor Werro will want the final to be slow given that Broeders-Bol’s personal best for 400m is 49.17 sec – an indoor world record. The report also notes that and tomorrow’s final is the ultimate race.” Asked whether it suits her that people, the Dutch athlete isn’t shying away from talking up her chances either: “One of the reasons I went to the 800 is because I love to race.
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