Swiss athlete Werro eyes athletics' oldest world record in Zurich

European 800m champion Audrey Werro has expressed confidence in her ability to break one of athletics' oldest and most debated world records.

Jarmila Kratochvilova of Czechoslovakia set the women's 800m world record of one minute 53.28 seconds in 1983, a mark that has remained unchallenged for 43 years. While Kratochvilova's career coincided with a systematic doping program in her country, she never failed a drug test and has consistently denied any involvement in doping.

Werro, 22, ran a personal best of 1:53.80 in Paris in June, placing third on the all-time list and within half a second of Kratochvilova's record. Speaking ahead of Thursday's Diamond League meeting in Zurich, Werro emphasized a focus on consistent performance rather than immediate record-breaking.

"I was not prepared for a world record this year. I just want to focus on running fast and winning some races," she said. "I think with this mentality the world record will fall one day. But I don't know when."

Werro's progression has been steady, with her personal best improving in each of her last eight seasons. This year, she has recorded three of the 10 fastest times in history. She attributes her recent success to increased training focus following her graduation from university a year ago.

"The biggest difference this year was that I finished university one year ago," Werro explained. "Now I'm just focused on athletics and have more time for competition, training, recovery—everything."

She also highlighted mental training as a key factor in her improvement. Werro's signature post-race celebration, mimicking outstretched claws, stems from her father's advice to adopt a more aggressive approach after he deemed her too cautious in early races.

Femke Broeders-Bol of the Netherlands, the reigning 400m hurdles world champion, will compete against Werro in Zurich. Broeders-Bol, who only transitioned to the 800m this season, ran 1:56.85 last week in Lausanne, just eight hundredths of a second behind Werro. She also earned bronze at the European Championships in Birmingham.

"I didn't expect to be this fast already—to run a national record already—so it has been very nice to surprise myself with my level," Broeders-Bol said.

Britain’s Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who finished second to Werro in Birmingham, has withdrawn from the Zurich event. Georgia Hunter-Bell, Britain’s 2023 world 800m silver medalist and a Commonwealth and national champion this season, will represent her country.

The Zurich Diamond League meeting begins at 19:00 BST on Thursday, with the women’s 800m race scheduled for 20:41 BST. The event will be broadcast live on BBC Three, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.