Audrey Werro delivered an impressive performance to clinch the women’s 800m title at the Ultimate Championships in Budapest, triumphing over Britain’s Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson. The Swiss runner, at just 22 years old, secured the $150,000 first prize with a winning time of 1:55.88. Hodgkinson followed closely, finishing second with a time of 1:56.26, while Femke Broeders-Bol claimed third place. Werro’s victory was largely attributed to her strategy of taking the lead from the start and maintaining it, before accelerating in the final 300 meters to seal her win.
This victory marks the culmination of an extraordinary season for Werro, who has now claimed victory in 14 of her 15 outdoor races, establishing herself as a formidable force in the 800m category worldwide. Meanwhile, Hodgkinson, who has endured a season plagued by injuries, expressed satisfaction with her performance. She admitted that her recent hamstring injury had hampered her ability to complete the speed training necessary to effectively challenge Werro’s dominance.
In other events, Georgia Hunter Bell secured a second-place finish in the women’s 1500m, trailing Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska. Kazimierska clocked a winning time of 3:57.55, narrowly edging out Hunter Bell by just 0.15 seconds. Hunter Bell’s performance earned her $75,000 and added to her successful season, which has been highlighted by several major championship victories.
The women’s 100m event also witnessed a standout performance, with world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden emerging victorious. She recorded the fastest time in the world this year, crossing the finish line in 10.62 seconds. Olympic champion Julien Alfred finished as the runner-up with a time of 10.74, while Sha’Carri Richardson took third place, finishing in 10.76 seconds.
