Eloisa Coiro of Team Italy and Keely Hodgkinson of Team Great Britain interact after competing in the Women's 800 Metres Semi-Finals. Image accompanying BBC Sport Athletics’ report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
Keely Hodgkinson secured her spot in the women's 800m final after a dramatic incident involving rival Audrey Werro. Werro, who led the first semi-final, fell on the final bend but advanced to the final following a successful appeal.
Hodgkinson finished first in the second semi-final, ahead of Femke Broeders-Bol. The Swiss athlete, Werro, finished last but will compete in the final due to the appeal. The event has become highly anticipated with the expected showdown between Hodgkinson, Werro, and Broeders-Bol. Read more racing coverage.
Hodgkinson expressed hope for a clean race and excitement for the final. Fellow Briton Jemma Reekie also advanced to the final, capitalizing on Werro's fall. The final will feature 10 athletes instead of nine, including Lithuanian Gabija Galvydyte. Related: Hudson-Smith Secures Third European 400m Gold, Newnham Wins Silver in Hurdles.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from BBC Sport Athletics. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
Reader questions
Questions about this report
What should runners know about Hodgkinson advances to 800m final after Werro's fall?
Keely Hodgkinson qualified for the 800m final, while Audrey Werro's dramatic fall led to a successful appeal. Keely Hodgkinson secured her spot in the women's 800m final after a dramatic incident involving rival Audrey Werro. Werro, who led the first semi-final, fell on the final bend but advanced to the final following a successful appeal.
When did Runner World publish this racing brief?
Runner World published this brief on August 13, 2026. The underlying BBC Sport Athletics report was dated August 13, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from BBC Sport Athletics. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
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