Keely Hodgkinson’s biggest rival for European 800m gold has been dramatically put through into Friday’s final after being tripped and sent sprawling during Thursday’s first semi-final.It means that the hugely anticipated showdown is still on between Hodgkinson, the Olympic gold medallist; Audrey Werro, the 22-year-old Swiss superstar who ran the third fastest time in history in June; and the Netherlands’ Femke Broeders-Bol, the 400m hurdles world champion who has moved up this season.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionBut for 50 minutes or so after Werro’s huge tumble, her part in it was in doubt as she trudged home in last place and the official results showed she was out. However she was reinstated into a 10-strong final after a video review showed that the back of her right foot made contact with the left hand of the French athlete Anaïs Bourgoin with 120m to go.
The effect of Bourgoin’s hand was like a rugby tap-tackle and it sparked an extraordinary chain of events. First Werro was unable to get her back leg through and ended up crashing face-down on to the curb. Then her back legs clipped the Lithuanian Gabija Galvydyte, who also fell to the floor.“I don’t remember what happened just before the fall,” said Werro. “I felt that the race was quite busy behind and then a fall happened. I’m OK, I just have a few scratches.”As Werro crossed the line last in 2min 35.35sec it looked as if she was out – only for her and Galvydyte to be reinstated on appeal. Far in front of her was Britain’s Jemma Reekie who crossed the line first in 1:58.61, and was quick to comfort Werro when she slowly trudged over the line holding her chest.
