Keely Hodgkinson eased to victory in her 800m semi-final at the European Athletics Championships to remain on course for another major international medal, but there was a shock in the previous semi-final as hot favourite Audrey Werro was clipped and fell.
Hodgkinson won her semi-final in 1:57.38 from Femke Broeders-Bol, who looked comfortable on her shoulder in an unfamiliar event for the Dutchwoman, having stepped up from her usual 400m hurdles this year.
Werro, the fastest woman in the world this year, led the first semi-final from the start and responded to accelerations from Britain’s Jemma Reekie and French record holder Anais Bourgoin.
But the 22-year-old appeared to be clipped from behind on the final bend and hit the deck hard, with Lithuania’s Gabija Galvydyte also falling as the other runners attempted to evade the fallen Swiss.
Werro eventually got to her feet and finished the race, crossing the line last looking heavily winded and clutching her ribs.
Werro told the BBC afterwards: “I was feeling really great until the last metre, unfortunately, I don’t know, something happened and I was on the ground. I hope I will be qualified for the final.”
She confirmed that she kept running in order to be able to appeal to race officials for a place in the final, which she could be granted if video replays showed she was hindered by a fellow athlete: “This is the reason why I finished the race and it’s always important to go until the end, now we will see what happened.”
Galvydyte was advanced to the final by the referees as she was obviously impaired, but there is no indication yet whether a decision has been made on Werro’s appeal.
Reekie came through to win the semi-final in 1:58.61, with Bourgoin and Switzerland’s Veronica Vancardo completing the trio of automatic qualifiers.
Werro ran the fastest time in four decades earlier this season, with her new personal best of 1:53.80 the third-fastest of all time, making her the favourite to take gold in Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium and setting up a blockbuster clash with Olympic champion Hodgkinson and Broeders-Bol.
In the second semi-final Hodgkinson hit the front early with Broeders-Bol latching onto her shoulder, with the pair pulling away in the home straight. Italy’s Eloisa Coiro, who set a new national record in the first round, was the last of the automatic qualifiers.
Hodgkinson was asked by BBC Sport whether she had seen Werro’s fall. She said: “I heard a ‘oohhh’ [from the crowd] which is never a good sign; I don’t know what it looked like,” she said. “You can’t worry about what other people are doing [in your race]. It’s a real shame, I hope she’s okay and that she’s in the final tomorrow.
“The depth was really good, another 1:57, overall happy, can’t complain. The excitement [for the women’s 800m] makes me excited, I love a good challenge, it brings out the best in me.
“I hope for a clean race with no falling over. And no wind please, I'm going to talk to an Esty witch to make sure there's no wind,” she smiled.
Broeders-Bol meanwhile said seeing Werro fall had made her feel “extra cautious” in her semi. She said her plan had been to lead “from the front, either with Keely or in front of Keely, I think it worked out perfectly.
“I saw it [the fall], I didn’t watch a replay because it often looks terrible. I hope she’s okay. It made me extra cautious.”