Keely Hodgkinson came up just short of a coveted European 800 metres title hat-trick after Swiss favourite Audrey Werro won their hotly-anticipated showdown in Birmingham as the British Olympic champion settled for silver.
Hodgkinson started quicker, but was overtaken by Werro on the back straight was never overtaken after the first 200m.
Double-defending champion Hodgkinson was just behind as they rounded the final bend, but Werro would not be caught and crossed the finish in a championship record one minute, 54.81 seconds.
open image in galleryHodgkinson claimed silver in 1:55.01 and the Netherlands’ Femke-Broeders Bol took bronze in a national record 1:55.54.
“A bit of mixed emotions,” Hodgkinson told the BBC. I think with that level of competition, any medal is a really good achievement and another one to add to my collection so I can never be disappointed with that. But I’m defending champion so I wanted to do that.
“I knew it was going to come down to the wire but I really thought I was going to win today. But it wasn’t meant to be. I didn’t do anything wrong, it was just one of those things.
“I’ve said all year it’s really motivating to be in such a competitive event. I love it, I think it brings out the best in me. Championship racing that’s what it’s all about, you don’t know how it’s going to go and some people can have a good day or a bad day. I think I had a pretty good day today but it just didn’t go how I wanted it to.”
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