Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol are going to prove to be a handful for Keely Hodgkinson

© Copyright – 2026 – Athletics Illustrated

No one has ever accused the Czech people of lacking a sense of humour. Consider the common aphorism: Nač stahovat kalhoty, když brod je ještě daleko? Literally translated, it means, “Why pull down your pants when the ford is still far away?”

In other words, don’t panic or prepare for a crisis that has yet to materialize.

With that in mind, Keely Hodgkinson need not be alarmed just yet. However, the reigning Olympic champion may find herself facing increasing pressure as the Diamond League season progresses toward its decisive stages.

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That pressure intensified Tuesday evening at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava, a city of approximately 281,000 people in the northeast of the Czech Republic. Situated at the confluence of four rivers, Ostrava is a place where industrial heritage, music, and athletics coexist with remarkable enthusiasm, as does the possibility of pulling one’s pants down to cross a body of water.

It was this fair city that Swiss middle-distance sensation Audrey Werro delivered another stunning performance over 800 metres, winning convincingly in 1:54.45. The result further established the 21-year-old as one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars.

Finishing second was Dutch athlete Femke Broeders-Bol, competing in only her first outdoor 800-metre race as a professional. She clocked a 1:57.13, demonstrating once again the versatility that has made her one of track and field’s most compelling stories-in-waiting.

Italy’s Eloisa Coiro rounded out the podium, crossing the line third in 1:58.59, narrowly missing last month’s new PB of 1:58.42 in Rabat on May 31.

Broeders-Bol improved on her indoor 800m debut from February in Metz, France, of 1:59.17, which is a national record. She now holds nine world best-known times, European, and or national records from 400m, 400mh, to the 800m indoor and outdoors.

One week ago, in Stockholm, Werro clocked the third fastest time in history and a new national record, clocking 1:53.98.

Hodgkinson’s best is a British record at 1:54.33; she is the defending Olympic and European champion.

With Broeders-Bol’s curiosity and improvement in the 800m, and Werro dropping a massive personal best against Hodgkinson, defeating her, it looks like the front of the field is getting crowded again.

Watch for an exciting season to continue.

Other notable performances

American sprinter is pretty fast over 100m and arguably better over 200m, well, as it turns out, he is the greatest over the seldom run 150m sprint. Lyles set a new world record of 14.67 in Ostrava.

Peter Bol of Australia set a new Oceania record in the 1000m distance race, clocking  2:15.13. Six athletes finished under 2:16.

Americans went 1-2 in the mile, passing through 1500m with a time, in the opposite positions. Nathan Green won 3:49.44
And Vincent Ciattei ran 3:49.51. They recorded 3:34.92 and 3:35.00 in the metric mile, on the way, respectively.

Results