Werro wins Lausanne 800m, well off world record pace

Swiss athlete Audrey Werro secured victory at the Lausanne Diamond League 800m event on Friday, achieving a meet-best time but failing to reach world record pace. The newly crowned European champion, who is the third fastest ever in the women's two-lap race, aimed to break the 1:53.28 mark set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983. Kratochvilova's record remains the oldest in track and field, despite its frequent challenges due to the prevalence of athlete doping during that era.

Unlike the European champions, the Diamond League incorporates wavelight technology and trackside lighting to assist runners in monitoring their speed.

During the race, Werro had Dutch pacemaker Myrte van der Schoot. Despite van der Schoot's impressive opening 400m of 54.64 seconds, Werro could not maintain her pace and ultimately won the event in a meet record time of 1:55.33. Werro expressed her enjoyment of the race and the support she received from the crowd. She also mentioned that the short turnaround after the European championships required her to recover quickly, and she felt more fatigued than usual during the race. Despite this, Werro managed to secure the victory, bringing her immense happiness.

Femke Broeders-Bol, the former two-time world 400m hurdles champion, finished second in a national record of 1:55.41. The Europeans' performance boosted Broeders-Bol's confidence, and she believes this race will further solidify her position among the best. She needs to trust herself, push after 500 meters, stop overprotecting herself, and simply enjoy racing.

Kenyan world and Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi claimed victory in the men's 800m, finishing in 1:42.19 ahead of Algeria's Djamel Sedjati. This marked the Kenyan's first Diamond League 800m win of the season after two second places and a fourth-place finish in London last month. Wanyonyi acknowledged a battle over the final 100 meters but expressed his satisfaction with the win, stating that he felt very strong. Canada's 2023 world champion Marco Arop finished fourth.

In the 200m event, Britain's Amy Hunt secured second place behind American Kayla White, who won in 22.18 seconds. Hunt narrowly lost to Nigeria's Favour Ofili in a photo finish at 22.32. Jamaica's Shericka Jackson, the two-time former world champion, pulled up with 70 meters remaining. Hunt admitted she had been tired before the race and her pre-competition felt stiff.

Botswana's Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo dominated the men's 200m, winning in 19.87 seconds in a dominant display. Italy's Andy Diaz Fernandez finished third at 17.20m, while Portugal's Pedro Pichardo won with 17.44 meters.