Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson eased to victory in her 800m semi-final at the European Athletics Championships, finishing in 1:57.38 to remain on course for another major international medal. Racing at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, the 24-year-old Briton hit the front early in the second semi-final with Femke Broeders-Bol latching onto her shoulder. The pair pulled away cleanly in the home straight, with Broeders-Bol—who is stepping up from her usual 400m hurdles this season—finishing comfortably alongside her. Italy’s Eloisa Coiro rounded out the group of automatic qualifiers from that heat.
Hodgkinson Advances to 800m Final
Hodgkinson’s smooth progression follows an opening round where she breezed through the heat in 1:57.28 while sporting sunglasses, joking that she was trying to avoid wrinkles and stave off the need for Botox. Reflecting on her semi-final performance, Hodgkinson told Independent that she was happy with the depth of the field and the 1:57 time. Looking ahead to the final, she added: I hope for a clean race with no falling over. And no wind please, I’m going to talk to an Esty witch to make sure there’s no wind.
Dramatic Semi-Final Fall for Favorite Audrey Werro
The first semi-final saw high drama and a major scare for hot favorite Audrey Werro. The 22-year-old Swiss athlete, who clocked the third-fastest women’s 800m time in history at 1:53.80 earlier this season, led the race from the start while responding to challenges from Britain’s Jemma Reekie and French record holder Anais Bourgoin. However, on the final bend, Werro appeared to be clipped from behind and hit the deck hard, with Lithuania’s Gabija Galvydyte also tumbling as trailing runners scrambled to avoid them.
Despite being heavily winded and clutching her ribs, Werro got back to her feet and crossed the finish line last to preserve her right to appeal. Reekie ultimately won the heat in 1:58.61, followed by Bourgoin and Switzerland’s Veronica Vancardo. Following successful appeals, race referees advanced both Werro and Galvydyte to the medal race, setting up a 10-athlete final on Friday. Werro explained to the BBC why she pushed through the pain: I was feeling really great until the last metre, unfortunately, I don’t know, something happened and I was on the ground. I hope I will be qualified for the final.
Broeders-Bol noted that witnessing the crash made her extra cautious
during her own heat.
Setting the Stage for a Blockbuster Friday Showdown
The dramatic semi-finals have locked in a fiercely anticipated showdown for Friday night at Alexander Stadium. The race features a stellar lineup combining Hodgkinson, who is pursuing further championship history, alongside the world-leading Werro and the versatile Broeders-Bol. Broeders-Bol remarked that her race plan to lead from the front alongside or directly behind Hodgkinson worked out perfectly.
The rivalry between Hodgkinson and Werro has defined the middle-distance season, highlighted by Werro edging out the Briton in Stockholm earlier this summer. With Friday’s final scheduled for late evening, Hodgkinson confirmed she will ditch the sunglasses so she can see everything clearly under the stadium lights.
Summary of Key 800m Contenders
- Keely Hodgkinson: Reigning Olympic champion who won her semi-final in 1:57.38.
- Audrey Werro: World-leading runner who advanced to the final via a referee appeal after a fall.
- Femke Broeders-Bol: Multi-medallist successfully transitioning from the 400m hurdles.
- Jemma Reekie: British runner who won the first semi-final in 1:58.61.
Additional coverage and live updates from the event can be followed via Yahoo Sports.
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