The short version
- Audrey Werro aims to break the 43-year-old women's 800m world record held by Jarmila Kratochvilova.
- Werro recently secured gold at the European Championships, defeating Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson.
- The Zurich Diamond League meeting will feature Werro against Dutch rival Femke Broeders-Bol.
Audrey Werro has positioned herself as a serious contender to dismantle one of track and field’s most enduring benchmarks. The Swiss middle-distance runner, who recently captured the European 800m title in Birmingham, is now targeting the world record set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983. That mark of one minute, 53.28 seconds has stood untouched for forty-three years, making it one of the oldest and most debated records in the sport. Werro’s recent performance in Paris, where she clocked 1:53.80, placed her third on the all-time list and within half a second of the historic standard.
The twenty-two-year-old athlete acknowledges that her rapid ascent has been somewhat unexpected even to herself. Speaking ahead of the Diamond League meeting in Zurich, Werro noted that she did not anticipate challenging for the world record this year. Her primary objective remains focused on securing race victories and maintaining high performance levels. She expressed confidence that the record will eventually fall, though she refrained from predicting a specific timeline for such an achievement.
A significant factor in Werro’s recent surge appears to be her transition away from academic commitments. Having completed her university studies a year ago, she now dedicates her full attention to training, competition, and recovery. This shift has allowed for a more rigorous regimen and greater mental preparation. Werro highlighted that she has worked extensively on her mindset over the past two years, a discipline that seems to be yielding tangible results on the track.
Her consistency is evident in her statistical trajectory. Werro has improved her personal best in each of her last eight seasons, demonstrating steady progression rather than sporadic breakthroughs. This year alone, she has accounted for three of the ten fastest times in the history of the event. Such frequency at the elite level suggests that her current form is sustainable and potentially capable of pushing beyond existing limits.
The world record itself carries a complex legacy. Kratochvilova, representing Czechoslovakia, established the time during an era when systematic doping programs were prevalent in Eastern Bloc athletics. Despite these historical concerns, Kratochvilova never failed a drug test and has consistently denied allegations of cheating. The controversy surrounding the record adds a layer of intrigue to any attempt to break it, as modern athletes compete under stricter anti-doping protocols.
Werro’s racing style is characterized by a distinctive celebration that mimics outstretched claws. This gesture honors advice from her father, who encouraged her to channel the spirit of a lion during races after observing her timid demeanor in childhood competitions. The psychological shift from caution to aggression has become a hallmark of her competitive identity, contributing to her success at youth levels and now on the international stage.
The upcoming race in Zurich will feature a notable absence. Keely Hodgkinson, the British Olympic champion whom Werro defeated in Birmingham, has withdrawn from the event. In her place, Georgia Hunter-Bell will represent Britain. Hunter-Bell won silver at last year’s World Championships and has secured national and Commonwealth titles this season, making her a formidable competitor despite Hodgkinson’s absence.
Femke Broeders-Bol of the Netherlands presents another significant challenge for Werro. The twenty-six-year-old transitioned to the 800m distance only this season after winning the 400m hurdles world title in Tokyo in 2025. She finished just eight hundredths of a second behind Werro in Lausanne last week and earned bronze at the European Championships. Broeders-Bol admitted surprise at her own speed, having already set a national record in the new event.
The Zurich meeting serves as the final Diamond League outing before the series concludes in Brussels on September 4-5. The race begins at 20:41 BST and will be broadcast on BBC Three, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app. With Werro in peak form and facing strong competition from Broeders-Bol and Hunter-Bell, the event promises to highlight the evolving depth of women’s middle-distance running.
While Werro remains cautious about immediate expectations, her recent performances indicate that the barrier set by Kratochvilova may be more permeable than previously thought. The combination of full-time athletic focus, mental conditioning, and consistent improvement positions Werro as a leading figure in the sport. Whether she can break the record this year or later remains uncertain, but her trajectory suggests that the 800m landscape is undergoing a significant shift.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC News↗'The record will fall' - Werro takes aim at 43-year-old 800m mark
