BIRMINGHAM: Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson safely negotiated 800m heats in Birmingham on Tuesday as she seeks a third consecutive European title.
Home favourite Hodgkinson, who previously won continental crowns in Munich in 2022 and Rome two years ago, timed 1min 57.28sec to win her heat.
“The championship is a fresh start. It felt good. The standard has gone up. That was one minute 57 in the heats!” said Hodgkinson. “We are dragging the best out of each other and the standard keeps getting higher and higher.”
World championships finalist Eloisa Coiro of Italy set a national record of 1:57.56 in finishing second behind the Briton, while three-time European silver medallist Renelle Lamote of France could only finish fifth but qualified as one of the fastest finishers outside the automatic spots. Also qualifying with ease for Thursday’s semi-finals, with the final a day later, was Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, who won her heat in 1:57.83.
Werro this season clocked the third fastest time ever in the two-lap race and the rivalry between her and Hodgkinson has set the 800m as one of the must-see races at the Birmingham Euros.
“I don’t really care about the noise about me,” said Hodgkinson. “I haven’t got time for that. I just focus on myself and do what I can do.”
Never to be ruled out is Dutchwoman Femke Broeders-Bol, the former two-time world 400m hurdles champion who has transitioned into a 800m specialist. She, too, won her heat in 1:59.96.
“Those were my very first 800m heats at a major championships so it’s nice to get through to the semis,” said Broeders-Bol.
“I feel very strong and have posted very good times earlier this season, but I do have to admit it was quite exciting and nerve wracking going into this race this morning.”
Both Hodgkinson and Werro have been quick to play down any chance the oldest world record in athletics history could be broken: the 1:53.28 set in 1983 by Jarmila Kratochvilova of then-Czechoslovakia.
“I don’t have the world record now in my head. My goal for the European championships is to do a podium,” said Werro.
SENSATIONAL INGEBRIGTSEN
In Monday’s late action, Jakob Ingebrigtsen sealed a sensational comeback from achilles tendon surgery to win a record-extending seventh European championship gold.
As the Norwegian produced a devastating trademark finish for gold in the 5,000m, it was hard to believe that it was the 25-year-old’s first competitive race in 324 days.
His last outing was a 10th placed finish in the 10,000m at last year’s Tokyo world champs.
Back to his barn-storming best after surgery, Ingebrigtsen did not disappoint in Birmingham, delivering a true masterclass in measured middle-distance running.
He timed 13min 15.29sec for win to further cement his place as the most successful athlete in European history. He is unbeaten at the Euros since taking a golden 1,500/5,000m double as a fresh-faced teenager back in Berlin in 2018.
Germany’s Florian Bremm took silver and France’s Etienne Daguinos bronze in Birmingham, but the race was all about the returning Ingebrigtsen.
“Coming from the lowest of lows to be European champion again means the world to me. Not even I believed it could happen coming here,” Ingebrigtsen said. “I am starting to feel more like myself. I was hoping my fitness would be okay. Before this race I worked on my breathing and really tried to focus on running smooth.”
HUNT CLAIMS 100M GOLD
Meanwhile on Monday, there was reason for late local cheer at the Alexander Stadium as Amy Hunt made the most of her rich vein of form for win in the women’s 100m in 11.00sec. Poland’s Ewa Swoboda took silver and Belgium’s Delphine Nkansa bronze as Hunt’s team-mate and defending champion Dina Asher-Smith came in fifth.
A dominant Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands claimed a third successive victory in the women’s shot put. Schilder managed a best of 20.73 metres with her last effort in a Dutch one-two as team-mate Jorinde van Klinken took silver with a personal best of 19.64m. Germany’s Olympic champion Yemisi Mabry rounded out the podium with 19.50m in the first medal event of the Aug 10-16 championships.
In the men’s shot put as Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri defended his title in some style. Fabbri launched a best of 22.31m in an Italian 1-2 with Zane Weir (21.12), while Sweden’s Wictor Petterson claimed bronze (20.86).
There was a first gold of the champs for three-time 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm, who was part of the Norwegian quartet that won the 4x400m mixed relay.
Amalie Iuel, Andreas Ofstad Kulseng and fast-finishing Henriette Jaeger clocked a championship record of 3:09.62 for victory ahead of Britain and the Netherlands.
Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2026