Women’s 800 Paris
The women’s 800 promised a lot and did not disappoint! The expected shoot-out between Audrey Werro and Femke Bol made it a really fast race.
Speaking at the press conference before the Paris race, Audrey Werro said: “My time (1:53.98) in Stockholm was incredible; I didn’t expect to achieve that this year—I thought it would happen further down the line. I’ve learned a lot over the past few years, and I’m now much better equipped tactically and mentally for competition. It’s paying off this year. Before the race against Keely in Stockholm, I convinced myself that I was the best and capable of winning. That was the only thing on my mind when the going got tough in the final meters”.
Broeders-Bol (as she calls herself since her recent marriage) is new to the 800 this year. She has run the distance once in 2017 and four times in 2026. She said in advance of the race. “It’s a big mind change to switch from 400m hurdles to 800m, and it means a lot of changes in the training and in the way of racing with everybody in the same lane. In terms of pressure, it’s pretty similar. I always put pressure on myself; it helps me to perform, and I like that. To discover this new distance, you need to be open-minded. It’s fun; I pretty much feel like a junior. I’m very excited for my first race in the Diamond League in the 800. Running in a pack – not in one lane – is something new for me. Weather and atmosphere will be great in the stadium. I have to be smart during the race with what I am capable of doing in a race where Audrey will chase the world record, to not make a mess of my race.”
In the event, Paris was a race that surpassed even the highest expectations. Ten athletes sub 2 minutes; seven PRs; three national or area records, including a French record, to delight the crowd!
The full result was:
1 Audrey Werro 1:53.80
2 Femke Broeders-Bol 1:55.60
3 Anaïs Bourgoin 1:55.65
4 Prudence Sekgodiso 1:56.83
5 Renelle Lemote 1:56.93
6 Sarah Billings 1:57.01
7 Oratile Nowe 1:57.46
8 Clara Liberman 1:58.66
9 Roisin Willis 1:58.66
10 Souad Elhaddad 1:58.90
I can rarely remember a race which pleased so many people!
Often comments after a race are very measured and sanitized. Werro, in contrast, seemed to speak from the heart: “The biggest change in my life is the fact that I have become a professional athlete. I am no longer in college, and I must say it was tough to juggle both activities. Now, there is no excuse as I have all the time in the world to just focus on training, recovery, and the sport itself. My transition from being a junior to the seniors was very challenging. In my first year as a senior, I competed at the 2022 Munich European Championships, and it was really hard to find my place in the field. Like many, I had my struggles, but now it is going well. I was not expecting to run this fast this season. These recent performances have really given me hope and built my confidence for what is coming next”.
Bourgoin described her French record as something she had dreamed of for a long time: “It was a perfect race. I know I had it in my legs – but I still had to do it. I had to take the risk, but it paid off. To do it in Paris made it even more special. I was watching the clock and gritting my teeth!”
I have spoken to Femke Many times. She is an athlete who speaks honestly, not one who just gives “politically correct” answers. While her English is excellent, it is not her first language and her answers are considered. I asked her for her thoughts on the race. She replied: “I don’t think I have thoughts yet – just some disbelief, but I love it”. She continued, more analytically, trying to explain how she approached her new event: “The 800 is so different from hurdles. It is so new, so there’s a lot of things I don’t know about it. I knew the 400m hurdles. You need to have rhythm. Around 500m my legs were saying ‘what are you doing to me’. By that stage in the 400 hurdles you’re already done, but in the 800 you have to keep your momentum going longer. So it’s a completely different lactic. I have to keep my mind relaxed, and today it brought me this crazy time”.
Watch my conversation with Femke for Athletics Weekly:
“Because it’s so new, there’s still a lot of things I don’t know about this event.”
Femke Broeders-Bol reflects on her 800m personal best of 1:55.60 at the Paris Diamond League 🤯
In her first season in the 800m, she finished behind Audrey Werro’s winning 1:53.80 🇳🇱
🎙️ Stuart… pic.twitter.com/TMvTpvCsTj
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) June 28, 2026
