Hodgkinson, Werro and Bol set for 800m showdown at European Championships

The women's 800m final at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham is being billed as one of the most significant races of the week and potentially the year, featuring Keely Hodgkinson, Audrey Werro and Femke Bol. Hodgkinson, the Paris Olympic 800m champion and winner of 11 major medals, has described the event as potentially the "race of the championships." She begins her title defence on Tuesday, with the semi-finals on Thursday and the final scheduled for 9:45pm on Friday 14 August. Her primary rival is 22-year-old Swiss runner Audrey Werro, who has clocked three of the nine fastest times in history this summer. At the Stockholm Diamond League in early June, Werro overtook Hodgkinson in the final 100m to finish in 1:53.98, the third-fastest time in history. Hodgkinson recorded a personal best of 1:54.33 in the same race, which set a new British record. She stated she was proud of the performance, noting it was not a "defeat" but her fastest time to date. Hodgkinson had previously beaten Werro in meetings such as the World Indoor Championships in March. Femke Bol, the former world champion in the 400m hurdles, is another serious contender having transitioned to the 800m this year. Hodgkinson told the Guardian that championship racing is unpredictable and requires split-second decision-making. She added that while major championship experience is an advantage, it can also lead to overthinking. Having recovered from a knee injury sustained in late June, Hodgkinson says she is back to full fitness. Regarding her rivals, she said: "Audrey has improved a lot and Femke is running well. We will see what happens." The Alexander Stadium is expected to be at capacity for Friday night's final. Other stars competing include Armand Duplantis, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Yaroslava Mahuchikh. British medal hopes include Amy Hunt, Matthew Hudson-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson. The championships conclude on Sunday 16 August, with the men's pole vault final and the 4x400m relays among the final highlights.