European champion Audrey Werro came tantalisingly close to breaking the oldest outdoor world record in athletics at the Zurich Diamond League on August 31, 2023. Finishing just over four-tenths of a second off Jarmila Kratochvilova's 800m mark of 1:53.28, set 43 years ago, Werro clocked a remarkable 1:53.70, marking the third-fastest time in history.

Roared on by a 25,000-strong capacity crowd, Werro hit the final 100m almost in stride with the pacing lights set for a world record. Despite her efforts, she could not find the finishing pace needed to secure the record. "I saw the light, but there was a lot of movement during the race and it was not calm," she stated.

Werro's performance is an indication of her growing consistency, as she has now recorded four of the top-10 all-time 800m times this summer. Her success comes after completing her studies, allowing her to focus fully on track.

Femke Broeders-Bol, the world 400m hurdles champion, also made a strong debut in the 800m, finishing second with a new national record of 1:54.71, overtaking Georgia Hunter-Bell in third place with a time of 1:55.03. Broeders-Bol expressed surprise at her early success in the event, stating, "I thought I needed at least one or two seasons to get into the 1:54s, but here I am."

As Keely Hodgkinson, Britain's Olympic champion, withdrew from the meeting, the competition in the women's 800m is heating up with new rivals like Werro and Broeders-Bol emerging. All three athletes—Werro, Broeders-Bol, and Hodgkinson—have qualified for the Diamond League final in Brussels on September 4-5, setting the stage for an intriguing conclusion to the season.