Audrey Werro wins 800m title in Birmingham; sets new championship record 1:54.81

2026 European Athletics Championships: Audrey Werro beats Keely Hodgkinson to 800m title

The Swiss athlete ran a new championship record (1.54.81) to claim her first senior title of her career, with Hodgkinson settling for silver and Broeders-Bol completing the podium with her first medal in the 800m.

The most anticipated race of the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham was always going to require something special to win it, and Switzerland’s Audrey Werro delivered on Friday night (14 August), roaring to victory in the women’s 800 metres to claim her first senior title.

Werro, the 2025 European Under-23 champion who was advanced to the final by the track referee despite a fall in her semi-final, started off on the outside lane but came off the first lap in the lead.

Her opening 400m of 56.45 hinted at what was to come.

And despite a late charge by Great Britain’s Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson , urged on by the partisan, full-capacity crowd inside the Alexander Stadium, 22-year- old Werro held on for the win in 1:54.81, setting a new championship record along the way.

“I didn’t even have time to celebrate because I was just telling myself that I had to keep going,” Werro told the media afterwards.

“I knew that today I was the strongest if I went in front; I knew I could run 100 per cent in the lead. I decided that I had to go faster and faster every 100 metres. I saw in the corner of my eye that the heads were right behind me and I couldn’t let go.

“ It was a surprise, it’s a lot of emotion .”

Hodgkinson had to settle for silver in 1:55.01, but looked visibly disappointed by the outcome.

“A bit of mixed emotions,” the Paris 2024 Olympic champion told the BBC afterwards.

“I think with that level of competition, any medal is a really good achievement and another one to add to my collection so I can never be disappointed with that. But I’m defending champion so I wanted to do that.

" I knew it was going to come down to the wire but I really thought I was going to win today. But it wasn’t meant to be. I didn’t do anything wrong, it was just one of those things .”

Meanwhile, Femke Broeders-Bol, the two-time 400m hurdles world champion who only switched to the 800m this season, took the bronze in a new national record of 1:55.54 for her first championship medal in the event.

“I think this journey has gone better than I expected in the first year,” she said.

“I was strong throughout the competition, so it’s a good step. I think I can do more, want more, and dream more .”

Hodgkinson vs Werro - a rivalry is born

Friday’s meeting was the fourth match-up between Hodgkinson and Werro in the 800m this season alone.

In their first meeting in February, Hodgkinson broke the world indoor record to claim victory ahead of Werro.

The following month, the Briton got the better of the Swiss again, this time at the World Indoor Championships in Toruń.

But Werro got her revenge at the start of June when she beat Hodgkinson at the Stockholm Diamond League.

Later that month, she stormed to 1:53.80 at the Paris Diamond League. That time truly put the world on notice, as it was the fastest time over the distance in 43 years, with only two others having run faster.

But Hodgkinson has been running faster this year too.

Her 1:54.33 personal best from Stockholm put her among the fastest women of all time, and she had said repeatedly that she felt she could go faster.

All of that perfectly set up tonight’s clash to be a true classic where Werro levelled the head-to-head.

There are two Diamond League events to come in Switzerland - Lausanne (21 August) and Zurich (27 August) - expect these two to take their duel back to Werro’s home track.

And with Broeders-Bol now in the mix, the women’s 800m has become one of the most competitive, exciting and unpredictable events on the track.

Picture by 2026 Getty Images

Athletics | European Championships | Birmingham | United Kingdom