Keely Hodgkinson earns silver medal in European Athletics 800m as Swiss rival breaks 44-year championship record

GUTTED Keely Hodgkinson was denied a record hat-trick of European 800 metres golds in the Race of the Championship. The reigning Olympic champion had to settle for silver as she finished 0.21 seconds behind Swiss newcomer Audrey Werro in a thrilling battle in Birmingham. Keely Hodgkinson took silver in the women’s 800m Credit: AFP Audrey Werro won gold with a championship record Credit: AP The Brit, 24, could not cope with the extra gear of Werro, who ran 1:54.81, smashing the Championship record of 1:55.41 that had stood since 1982. Hodgkinson – who hugged her mum and dad in the stands – said: “I’d be happier with the gold. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! “It was a great race. I love a good challenge. I knew it would be one. “Big credit to Audrey. I am sure we will have more battles.” On a windy night, Hodgkinson went to the front at the start but was hunted down by Werro, 22, who made her decisive move down the home straight. Cow bells were rang loud and proud by hundreds of Swiss fans in the stands and she celebrated by roaring like a lion. Werro was only in the 10-woman final after being reinstated by officials following a fall in the semi-finals on Thursday. Bronze went to Femke Broeders-Bol, who ran a national record of 1:55.54, in front of a sell-out 23,000 crowd. Most read in Sport Former criminology student Hodgkinson won European gold over two laps in Munich in 2022 and Rome in 2024 but could not make it a three-peat. It was on this track four years ago at the Commonwealth Games that she was pipped on the line by Kenyan Mary Moraa for the title. Britain’s fastest man Zharnel Hughes failed to regain the 200 metres crown as he finished in second place in 20.16 seconds, 0.21 seconds behind German Owen Ansah. Bronze was shared by Italian Eseosa Fostine Desalu and Swiss runner Timothe Mumenthaler, whose times were recorded at exactly 20.26251 seconds. Scotswoman Megan Keith led for the majority of the women’s 10,000 metres final but then slipped down to eighth in a time of 32:04.81. Gold went to Italian Nadia Battocletti in 31:41.17 as she claimed the long-distance double in the West Midlands. In the men’s high jump, British champion Kimani Jack was fourth after he failed to clear 2.27 metres, and Joel Clarke-Khan – the fiancé of pole vaulter Molly Caudery – was fifth with a height of 2.23 metres. Two weeks after she was crowned the Commonwealth 800 metres champion, Georgia Hunter Bell enters the action today (Saturday) in the women’s 1500 metres heats. Hunter Bell, 32, is going for a quadruple of titles in 2026, having also bagged the World Indoor gold in March in the 1500 metres – Hodgkinson bagged the 800m glory in Poland. To finish off the season there is the new Ultimate World Championships in Budapest next month. Speaking from her training base in Portugal, Hunter Bell – who used to work in cyber security – said: “It’ll be a hard race. “There’s strong challenges from the French and Polish contingent, and even from my own training group. And yeah, it’s home turf. I want to win.” Jake Wightman is desperate to banish his Commonwealths misery. As Josh Kerr stormed to one-mile glory for Team Scotland a fortnight ago, Wightman trailed back in sixth in a Scotstoun Stadium where he used to race as a kid. But the British squad skipper, 32, will be the leading figure in the men’s 1500m final tonight. Wightman said: “I’ve only just arrived so it’s a weird one as the captain. “It’s nice to be leading a team that has golds everywhere, so hopefully I can do my bit, too.” Comment now