Swiss rising star Audrey Werro delivered a stunning performance at the Paris Diamond League on Thursday, winning the women's 800m in 1 minute 53.80 seconds — the third-fastest time in history and the fastest ever run at a Diamond League meeting. The 22-year-old now trails only Jarmila Kratochvilova's 41-year-old world record of 1:53.28 and the second-fastest time of 1:53.43 set by Pamela Jelimo in 2008.
Werro's calculated assault on the record
Before the race, Werro had promised to take her first serious crack at Kratochvilova's mark, set on 25 July 1983. She followed pacemaker Myrte van der Schoot through the first 400m in 55.35 seconds, then accelerated on the back straight. At 600m, she passed in 1:25.27, just outside world-record pace, before closing strongly to finish in 1:53.80.
“It is not the world record but I am still really happy with my time,” Werro said. “I was a little bit late on the 600m mark. But next time I figure I can stay closer to the lights.”
The time was 0.18 seconds faster than her victory over Britain's Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in Stockholm earlier this month. Werro has now run three of the nine fastest 800m times in history in the past three weeks.
Bol switches events, runs big PB
Behind Werro, Dutch athlete Femke Broeders-Bol, the reigning world 400m hurdles champion, made her mark in the 800m with a personal best of 1:55.60. However, the race for the world record appears to be a two-woman contest between Werro and Hodgkinson.
Werro confirmed she will not race over 800m again until the European Championships in Birmingham in August, where she is set to face Hodgkinson. “It is easier when I am in a race with other athletes at the same pace as me,” Werro said. “With Hodgkinson it is always easier to run fast. If the world record is still on in Birmingham I will try in Birmingham.”
Myers, Hunter Bell shine in middle distances
The men's 1500m produced the performance of the night as 20-year-old Australian Cameron Myers smashed the field to win in 3:28.00, a national record. “I wasn't sure too sure if I had it today,” Myers said. “But given the atmosphere, including the weather and other factors, it was great that everything came together.” He beat France's Azeddine Habz (second) and Britain's world champion Jake Wightman (third in 3:29.95). Myers now targets the mile at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next month.
In the women's 1500m, Britain's Georgia Hunter Bell continued her fine season, winning in a season's best 3:55.63. She tracked Australia's Jessica Hull and Ethiopia's Freweyni Hailu before striking with 200m to go. Hailu finished second, while France's Agathe Guillemot took third in a national record.
Bromell shocks Lyles in 100m
The biggest surprise came in the men's 100m, where Olympic champion Noah Lyles suffered a shock defeat to compatriot Trayvon Bromell after a poor start. Bromell held on to win in 9.91 seconds, 0.01 ahead of Lyles. “I pushed the wheel,” Bromell said. “I didn't let the race get in my head. I know I have so much more in my tank, the times and data from my biomechanics make me excited for the season. In Eugene, I will go nuts.”
Other highlights
Diamond League records were set in the men's and women's 400m by Busang Collen Kebinatshipi and Marileidy Paulino, respectively. Marco Arop dominated the men's 800m, establishing a 20-metre lead on the back straight and winning in 1:41.84, nearly two seconds ahead of Dutch athlete Niels Laros (1:43.60). Britain's Ben Pattison finished fourth.
