Werro beats Hodgkinson for European 800m title

Keely Hodgkinson's reign as European 800m champion came to an end on Friday night in Birmingham, as the Olympic gold medalist was beaten into second place by Switzerland's Audrey Werro in a thrilling final. The 22-year-old Werro, who had already stunned Hodgkinson in Stockholm in June, claimed her first senior international title with a championship record of 1 minute 54.81 seconds, holding off the Briton by 0.2 seconds in a race that lived up to its billing as the highlight of the championships.

Hodgkinson, the 24-year-old defending champion, was chasing a third consecutive European title but could not match Werro's finishing speed in the closing stages. The Swiss athlete made her decisive move after 500 meters, pulling away from Hodgkinson and Dutch star Femke Bol, who took bronze. The result marks a significant shift in the dynamic of the women's 800m, with Werro emerging as a formidable rival to Hodgkinson after her rapid improvement this season.

"I think I would be happier with a gold," Hodgkinson said in a post-race interview, jokingly removing her silver medal. "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...