The three fastest women's 800m runners in the world are all through to the semi-finals at the European Athletics Championships, setting up what could be one of the most anticipated middle-distance races in years.
According to BBC Sport, Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson controlled her heat from start to finish on Tuesday morning, winning in one minute 57.28 seconds. That was the fastest time across all four heats. Switzerland's Audrey Werro won her heat in 1:57.83, and Dutch athlete Femke Broeders-Bol crossed first in 1:59.96.
Hodgkinson, 24, is the reigning European champion in the event, having won the past two titles. Werro, 22, beat her earlier this season in Stockholm with a time of 1:53.80, the third-fastest women's 800m ever run and the fastest in 43 years. Hodgkinson finished that race in 1:54.33, a British record, and is now closing in on Jarmila Kratochvilova's 1983 world record of 1:53.28.
Broeders-Bol is a two-time world 400m hurdles champion who switched events this season. Her progression into the 800m has added a third serious contender to a final that most expected to be a two-woman race.
Hodgkinson's post-heat interview with BBC Sport was briefly interrupted by Italy's Eloisa Coiro, who told the British runner she was "an inspiration on and off the track." Hodgkinson acknowledged she had not been fully consistent during her outdoor campaign but said the championships represented a clean slate.
"I have worked so hard and the shape has been there all year. It's just been an unfortunate couple of events that have led to me maybe being a little bit off," she said. "Championships are a fresh start. That felt very good, very comfortable. The standard has gone up but it's good, it brings out the best in me."
She also pointed to the wider lift the competition had given the event as a whole. "All it takes is one person to raise the bar and you think more things are possible. Everyone knows that to keep up you have to keep getting better. It's a really exciting time for the women's 800m."
Werro echoed that energy after her own heat. "I think it's really great because we can really push each other. We are really fast and I'm excited for what is coming next," she said.
Watching from the stands at Alexander Stadium, former Olympic and world long jump champion Greg Rutherford noted how little effort the three frontrunners appeared to expend. "What I found fascinating about all three of the big names out there was that they made it look so much easier than the rest of the field," Rutherford told BBC television. "It's so easy for them, it is remarkable to see. It sets it up for such a good race going forward."
Rutherford added that the combination of talent gathered at the championships created a genuine shot at history. "Championships are all about medals. Records will always be broken eventually, but if you win a medal that lasts forever," he said. "But it is set up. The three best in the world here in Europe is an opportunity to break things like world record."
The women's 800m semi-finals are scheduled for Thursday.
