Hodgkinson’s European reign ends as Werro claims gold in Birmingham

Keely Hodgkinson’s two-year reign as European 800m champion concluded in Birmingham, where she secured silver behind Swiss runner Audrey Werro at the European Athletics Championships. The result marks a significant shift in the event’s hierarchy, with the reigning Olympic champion acknowledging the emergence of a new generation of rivals who are challenging her dominance on the global stage.

Werro, a 22-year-old Swiss athlete, claimed gold with a time of 1:53.80, breaking a championship record that had stood since 1982. Her victory was particularly notable given she had suffered a fall in her semi-final earlier in the week, from which she was reinstated before delivering a mature performance in the final. The time placed her among an elite group, being only the second athlete in recent history to break the 1:54 barrier alongside Hodgkinson, and just 0.52 seconds off the long-standing world record held by Jarmila Kratochvilova.

Hodgkinson, who had won the European title in the two preceding years, finished behind Werro and Dutch star Femke Broeders-Bol, who took bronze. The defeat follows a loss to Werro at the Stockholm Diamond League in June, where the Swiss runner reduced her personal best by nearly two seconds. Hodgkinson expressed pride in her ability to remain competitive despite the setback, noting that the emergence of new rivals such as Werro and Broeders-Bol is creating a strong era for track and field.

The British athlete’s outdoor season has been marked by physical setbacks, including a muscle twinge that forced her withdrawal from the 400m final at the British Championships and a fall in training that left her knees heavily bandaged. Despite these challenges, Hodgkinson had rebuilt confidence with a victory at the London Diamond League, holding off Broeders-Bol in front of home fans. She finished behind world champion Lilian Odira in Eugene and had previously broken the 24-year indoor world record earlier in the year.

Looking ahead, Hodgkinson aims to reassert her position at the top of the sport ahead of next season’s World Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe praised Werro’s composure under pressure, highlighting the Swiss runner’s readiness to rival Hodgkinson for major titles in the coming years. Hodgkinson, now a six-time global medallist, indicated she is prepared for the increased competition required to defend her status.