Hodgkinson’s key rival Werro reinstated after shock fall to set up dream Euro 800m final
Audrey Werro finished last but was advanced after a review while Keely Hodgkinson and Femke Broeders-Bol eased through in their semi-final
Keely Hodgkinson’s biggest rival for European 800m gold has been dramatically put through into Friday’s final after being tripped and sent sprawling during Thursday’s first semi-final.
It means that the hugely anticipated showdown is still on between Hodgkinson, the Olympic gold medallist; Audrey Werro, the 22-year-old Swiss superstar who ran the third fastest time in history in June; and the Netherlands’ Femke Broeders-Bol, the 400m hurdles world champion who has moved up this season.
But for 50 minutes or so after Werro’s huge tumble, her part in it was in doubt as she trudged home in last place and the official results showed she was out. However she was reinstated into a 10-strong final after a video review showed that the back of her right foot made contact with the left hand of the French athlete Anaïs Bourgoin with 120m to go.
The effect of Bourgoin’s hand was like a rugby tap-tackle and it sparked an extraordinary chain of events. First Werro was unable to get her back leg through and ended up crashing face-down on to the curb. Then her back legs clipped the Lithuanian Gabija Galvydyte, who also fell to the floor.
“I made a conscious choice to try and manage the race at a moderate pace,” said Werro. “It’s always safer to run at the front, but today there were risks; I could sense things were hectic behind me. A fall can happen in an instant. I’ve only got a few scrapes. It knocked the wind out of me at the time.”
As Werro crossed the line last in 2min 35.35sec it looked as if she was out – only for her and Galvydyte to be reinstated on appeal. Far in front of her was Britain’s Jemma Reekie who crossed the line first in 1:58.61, and was quick to comfort Werro when she slowly trudged over the line holding her chest.
There were no such problems for Hodgkinson, who won the other semi-final in 1:57.38, just ahead of Broeders-Bol.
Asked whether she saw Werro fall, Hodgkinson said: “I heard the ‘oooh’ which is never a good sign, I don’t know what it looked like. You can’t worry about what happened to other people. I hope she’s OK and in the final for an exciting race.”
She was clearly relieved with her time as she looked ahead to the race everyone is talking about. “Another 1:57 so I’m happy,” she said. “The excitement makes me excited. I can’t wait to step out there. I love a good challenge, I think it brings out the best in me. So yeah, hopefully it will be a really good race, a clean race, no one falling over tomorrow. No wind please. I’m going to talk to the Etsy witch, make sure there’s no wind.”
Broeders-Bol should certainly not be discounted, given how comfortable she looked throughout as she finished just behind Hodgkinson.
Neither Hodgkinson nor Werro will want the final to be slow given that Broeders-Bol’s personal best for 400m is 49.17 sec – an indoor world record. That is significantly quicker than Werro’s personal best, 50.80, and Hodgkinson’s 51.14.
The Dutch athlete isn’t shying away from talking up her chances either: “One of the reasons I went to the 800 is because I love to race, and tomorrow’s final is the ultimate race.”
Asked whether it suits her that people are talking about Hodgkinson and Werro, rather than her, the four-time Olympic and world gold medallist started to smile.
“Yeah, it’s different and quite nice,” she said. “I’ve always said being the favourite is a privilege because you know you’re very strong on paper. But I feel I’ve never slept so well, and have never been this relaxed. So I think it brings its advantages as well.”