Keely Hodgkinson won silver in the women’s 800m at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, as Switzerland’s Audrey Werro prevented her from claiming a third consecutive European title. The result matters because it confirms Werro’s emergence as Hodgkinson’s leading rival, despite the British Olympic champion receiving strong home support from a sell-out crowd.

Werro, 22, won her first senior international title in a championship-record 1:54.81, with Hodgkinson second in 1:55.01 after being unable to pass her on the final bend. Werro had fallen in her semi-final the previous day but was reinstated, and the final included 10 athletes; Hodgkinson’s medal was Britain’s 10th in five days, while Zharnel Hughes also took 200m silver.