Werro holds off Broeders-Bol to win Lausanne Diamond League 800m in 1:55.33

Audrey Werro survived a late challenge from Femke Broeders-Bol to win the Lausanne Diamond League 800m in a meeting-record 1:55.33. Broeders-Bol finished just 0.08 seconds behind in 1:55.41, breaking the Dutch record previously held by Ellen van Langen.

Werro appeared to have created enough distance entering the final straight, but Broeders-Bol produced a powerful finish and nearly drew level before the line. Saida Tsehaye took third in 1:56.92, an impressive performance from the 18-year-old Ethiopian.

The victory continued Werro’s strong run after she won the 800m at last week’s European Championships in Birmingham. The short recovery period made the race more demanding for the Swiss athlete, but she still delivered a record-breaking performance in front of her home crowd.

Broeders-Bol’s result underlined her rapid progress over two laps. The former hurdler moved past Tsehaye during the race before closing heavily on Werro, adding further confidence after her European Championships performance and confirming her place among the leading 800m runners.

Werro and Broeders-Bol will race again in Zurich next week. That field will also include Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, European 1500m champion Georgia Hunter Bell and world 800m champion Lilian Odira, setting up a stronger test after the narrow Lausanne finish.

The Lausanne meeting also featured a 1:42.19 victory for Kenya’s Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in the men’s 800m, while Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo won the 200m in 19.87. But the women’s 800m belonged to Werro, who held on despite Broeders-Bol’s late surge.