Switzerland's Audrey Werro pipped Keely Hodgkinson to European gold in the women's 800m final, denying the British athlete a third consecutive title.
Keely Hodgkinson was forced to settle for European silver as Switzerland's Audrey Werro denied the Briton a third consecutive title in a thrilling women's 800m final in Birmingham.
The 22-year-old Swiss athlete finished strong to land her first senior international title in a championship record one minute 54.81 seconds. Hodgkinson, who had twice beaten Werro during the indoor season, allowed her rival to take charge on the opening lap before attempting to make her move on the final bend.
Having become the fastest athlete since the world record was set 43 years ago this season, Werro's victory was all the more impressive given she suffered a nasty fall in her semi-final on Thursday. She was reinstated into the final despite facing a race against time to recover from the incident.
Hodgkinson, who had achieved the first major outdoor title of her career at the European Championships in 2022, vowed not to allow Werro to overhaul her this time. However, the Swiss athlete produced the first sub-1:54 clocking since 1983 at the Stockholm Diamond League this summer, leaving Hodgkinson stunned.
"I think with that level of competition, any medal is a really good achievement and another one to add to my collection," Hodgkinson told the BBC after the final. "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. It wasn't meant to be. I didn't do anything wrong – it was just one of those things."
Werro's triumph marked a significant milestone in her career, with the Swiss athlete now a force to be reckoned with on athletics' biggest stages over the coming years. Meanwhile, Hodgkinson can expect a strong challenge from Dutch star Femke Broeders-Bol next season, with the two-time world 400m hurdles champion already making rapid progress since switching events this season.
The British team, however, had a strong showing at the championships, with Zharnel Hughes earlier taking silver in the men's 200m. The team also secured their 10th medal in five days at their home championships, with Hodgkinson's silver being the latest addition to their collection.
As the athletics world looks to next season's World Championships, Werro's victory will undoubtedly be a story to watch. The Swiss athlete has proven herself to be a worthy challenger to the best athletes in the world, and fans will be eagerly anticipating her next move.
Source: Yahoo Sports