Audrey Werro wins 800m gold at European Championships 2024

Audrey Werro secured the women's 800m gold medal at the European Championships in Birmingham on Friday night. The Swiss runner clocked a time of 1:54.81 to set a new championship record.

Werro's victory followed a difficult semi-final on Thursday where she suffered a fall. After being reinstated for the final, she took the lead approximately 200 metres into the race. Her performance denied Keely Hodgkinson a third consecutive European title.

Femke Broeders-Bol took the bronze medal for the Netherlands. She finished with a time of 1:55.54, a result that equalled the Dutch national record.

Keely Hodgkinson expressed mixed emotions following the race. While she noted that any medal is a significant achievement in such a competitive field, she admitted she had hoped to defend her title. Hodgkinson stated she believed she would win but noted that the race came down to the final moments.

Regarding the race dynamics, Hodgkinson said she was content to let Werro lead given the wind conditions. She described the outcome as part of the unpredictable nature of championship racing, noting that even on a good day, results do not always go as planned.