Hodgkinson and gold medal rivals progress at Europeans

Keely Hodgkinson, the Olympic champion and two-time European title holder, advanced to the women's 800m semi-finals at the European Athletics Championships alongside her rivals Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol. Hodgkinson, who won both the 2017 and 2019 European titles, dominated her heat with a time of 1:57.28, the quickest across the four heats on Tuesday morning.

Werro, who shattered Hodgkinson's record in 2019 by achieving the fastest time for 43 years, secured her spot with a time of 1:57.83. Broeders-Bol, a Dutch two-time world 400m hurdles champion who switched events this season, also crossed the line first in 1:59.96. Hodgkinson, despite facing a few obstacles during her outdoor campaign, expressed her satisfaction with her performance, stating that she has worked hard and the shape has been there all year.

The trio's strong showing at the European Championships sets the stage for an exciting showdown in the semi-finals.