Keely Hodgkinson is not used to playing second fiddle on the British or European athletics stage. But this summer it has arrived on two fronts. Fellow Brit Josh Kerr has made history by breaking the 27-year-old Mile world record, while Switzerland's Audrey Werro has run the fastest 800m since 1983.
Yet, Hodgkinson remains the greatest athlete to have represented Britain since Sir Mo Farah and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill – and this week she is ready to prove it again. The European Athletics Championships are in Birmingham and no duel is more anticipated than Hodgkinson v Werro.
Championship Racing Awaits
Britain's golden girl – the Olympic 800m champion, the defending European 800m champion, the indoor 800m world record-holder – began the summer with the aim of breaking Jarmila Kratochvílová's world record of 1:53.28. But at the Diamond League in Stockholm in June, Werro, 22, almost did just that as she outsprinted Hodgkinson to win in 1:53.98.
It was the third fastest time in history on a day when Hodgkinson herself moved to sixth on the all-time list as she broke her own national record with a run of 1:54.33. The Swiss star went even faster in Paris three weeks later with 1:53.80. Then, last month, after Kerr grabbed the headlines with his sensational run at the Diamond League in London, Hodgkinson's first outdoor win of the season a matter of minutes later did not quite have the impact it might otherwise have done.
Hodgkinson's Confidence
But what lies ahead this week at the Alexander Stadium is 'championship racing' and Hodgkinson is ready to show that there is no one better, as she proved back in March when she won the World Indoor 800m crown in Torun as Werro took silver.
“I back and believe in myself, always,” she said. “I think the competition will just bring out the best of me. I love championship racing. It's very different to running on the circuit, there are no pacers or anything. It is all heart, grit and determination, getting through those rounds and running fast in the final.
“I'm in a really good place and I'm happy with where I'm at. The last couple of weeks have been really good. Obviously I’ve had a couple of not so great moments, like falling over (in training in July) and dumb stuff like that. But it happens, not everything goes your way sometimes. The last few weeks have been really great and I’m excited.”
Werro's Perspective
The women's 800m final should be something special, with Hodgkinson and multiple 400m hurdles world champion Femke Broeders-Bol providing the primary challenge against Werro.
“Right now, we really have a great depth in the 800m,” Werro said. “It is really cool because it is better when we have a lot of athletes to push each other to be great every day. I really like that. It is easier to achieve really fast times because we can push each other to the end of the race.”
Werro urged caution on whether a world record would be set this week, however, with her focus simply on silverware.
“I don't think it's the best place to do a world record because the goal is to win a medal,” she added. “I don't know if the race will be fast or if it will be a tactical race. I don't have the world record now in my head and my goal for the European championships is to get on the podium.”
