Keely Hodgkinson’s main rival, Audrey Werro, was advanced to the 800m final at the European Athletics Championships after a shock result in her semi-final as she fell hard and finished last.
Werro, the fastest woman in the world this year, led the first semi-final from the start and responded to accelerations from Britain’s Jemma Reekie and French record holder Anais Bourgoin.
But the 22-year-old appeared to be clipped from behind on the final bend and hit the deck hard, with Lithuania’s Gabija Galvydyte also falling as the other runners attempted to evade the fallen Swiss.
Both athletes eventually got to their feet and finished the race, with Werro crossing the line last looking heavily winded and clutching her ribs. Referees advanced both her and Galvydyte to the final after appeals, meaning 10 athletes will race for the title on Friday.
Hodgkinson eased to victory in her semi-final, winning in 1:57.38 from Femke Broeders-Bol, who looked comfortable on her shoulder in an unfamiliar event for the Dutchwoman, having stepped up from her usual 400m hurdles this year. The result leaves the pair and Werro on course for a blockbuster clash in Friday’s final.
Werro told the BBC afterwards: “I was feeling really great until the last metre, unfortunately, I don’t know, something happened and I was on the ground. I hope I will be qualified for the final.”
She confirmed that she kept running in order to be able to appeal for a place in the final, if video replays suggested she was hindered by another athlete: “This is the reason why I finished the race and it’s always important to go until the end, now we will see what happened.”
Reekie came through to win the semi-final in 1:58.61, with Bourgoin and Switzerland’s Veronica Vancardo completing the trio of automatic qualifiers.
Werro ran the fastest time in four decades earlier this season, with her new personal best of 1:53.80 the third-fastest of all time, making her the favourite to take gold in Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium despite the presence of Olympic champion Hodgkinson and Broeders-Bol.
In the second semi-final Hodgkinson hit the front early with Broeders-Bol latching onto her shoulder, with the pair pulling away in the home straight. Italy’s Eloisa Coiro, who set a new national record in the first round, was the last of the automatic qualifiers. Switzerland’s Valentina Rosamilia and France’s Clara Liberman complete the line-up for the final.
Hodgkinson was asked by BBC Sport whether she had seen Werro’s fall. She said: “I heard a ‘oohhh’ [from the crowd] which is never a good sign; I don’t know what it looked like,” she said. “You can’t worry about what other people are doing [in your race]. It’s a real shame, I hope she’s okay and that she’s in the final tomorrow.
“The depth was really good, another 1:57, overall happy, can’t complain. The excitement [for the women’s 800m] makes me excited, I love a good challenge, it brings out the best in me.
“I hope for a clean race with no falling over. And no wind please, I’m going to talk to an Esty witch to make sure there’s no wind,” she smiled.
Broeders-Bol meanwhile said seeing Werro fall had made her feel “extra cautious” in her semi. She said her plan had been to lead “from the front, either with Keely or in front of Keely, I think it worked out perfectly.
“I saw it [the fall], I didn’t watch a replay because it often looks terrible. I hope she’s okay. It made me extra cautious.”
