Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson ran a personal best at the Diamond League in Stockholm but it was not enough to beat Audrey Werro.
The Swiss athlete stunned Hodgkinson by winning in a time of one minute and 53.98 seconds – the third fastest women’s 800m time ever and fastest in the world this year.
Hodgkinson was narrowly behind in a British record of 1:54:33 while American Roisin Willis was third in 1:57:56.
The 24-year-old Briton has targeted the world record this year and smashed the world indoor record in February.
And although she ran her fastest 800m time since July 2024 – 1:54.61 at the Diamond League meeting in London – Werro took more than a second off her previous best (1:56.64).
The 22-year-old set the pace during a first lap of 55.54 seconds and although Hodgkinson hit the front with 300m remaining, Werro cruised past her just after they turned onto the home straight.
Hodgkinson finished seventh in a rare outing over 400m during Thursday’s Diamond League meeting in Rome.
More to follow.
