Swiss athlete Audrey Werro had her sights set on the women's 800m record at the Ostrava Golden Spike in Czechia, but narrowly missed out after a stunning performance. Werro, 22, had previously set the third-fastest women's 800m time ever and fastest in the world this year with a time of one minute and 53.98 seconds just two weeks ago in Stockholm.
However, Werro's pursuit of the record, set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983, was foiled as she faded slightly to win in a time of 1:54.55. Despite this, the young athlete still boasts the eighth-fastest 800m time in history.
Femke Broeders-Bol, a two-time 400m hurdles world champion and Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles' counterpart, stole the show on her 800m debut. The 25-year-old finished second in a time of 1:57.13, becoming the third-fastest Dutch woman over two laps. Her impressive display has sparked speculation about her potential to dominate the 800m event.
The stacked field of top athletes saw eight women finish inside two minutes, a testament to the high calibre of competition. Broeders-Bol's impressive showing has added to the excitement surrounding her career transition from 400m hurdles to the longer event.