Published: 21:59 BST, 14 August 2026 | Updated: 22:43 BST, 14 August 2026
Audrey Werro is fast becoming an unsolvable riddle for the leading lady of British sport. For the second time in 10 weeks, this Swiss phenomenon left Keely Hodgkinson staring at her heels in a race that lived up to its billing as the best of the European Championships.
To the most talented Audrey since Hepburn went the 800m gold medal. To Hodgkinson, there was presumably no silver lining to be found in finishing a close second on home soil.
If there is to be any consolation, it is that Werro, aged 22, clocked a championship record of 1:54.81 on a chilly, breezy evening in Birmingham to beat her. But warmer thoughts will be harder to find for Hodgkinson.
Instead, the Olympic champion must process the dawning of a serious rivalry and one that is not currently swinging in her favour. This one was settled by the margin of 0.2sec.
In the long run, Hodgkinson might view such moments as the competitive nectar needed for the breaching of new frontiers, of course, but the sting in the present will be real. Not many athletes have the finishing speed to match Hodgkinson, but in their past two races Werro has kicked away from her with the force of a donkey.
The decisive move here came after 500 metres, when Werro put the hammer down.
Hodgkinson, who had been near enough level at the bell after a 56sec opening lap, went with her, and they both separated from Femke Broeders-Bol in third, but the Brit had no answer. She never got her nose in front, and those moments of futility can leave lasting doubts in an athlete.
The 24-year-old, who was chasing a third straight European title, was evidently in little mood to indulge the celebrations of on-track interviewer Iwan Thomas. He assumed she would be thrilled with silver, but Hodgkinson responded: ‘I think I would be happier with a gold.’
Kely Hodgkinson was forced to settle for second in the women's 800m final on Friday
Hodgkinson jokingly took off her silver medal at the European Championships in Birmingham
She later added: ‘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.
‘Congrats to Audrey. I am sure we will have more battles.’
That much seems certain. And for two women striving to break the oldest world record in track athletics, that will be a good thing.
