Audrey Werro took another stride closer to the women’s 800m world record, while Emmanouil Karalis took another step closer to matching men’s pole vault world record-holder Armand Duplantis on a dramatic evening at the Zurich Diamond League on Thursday (27).
The Weltklasse traditionally takes place in the immediate aftermath of the major championships each season, with athletes at the peak of their powers, and this year’s meeting was no different, with the stars of Birmingham 2026 in brilliant form.
Werro closes in on world record, as Broeders-Bol sets Dutch record
Competing in front of huge home support, Switzerland’s Werro was making another attempt on Jarmila Kratochvílová’s 43-year-old world record of 1:53.28, which she has closed in on all summer.
In a stellar line-up that included Femke Broeders-Bol, who has marked a superb debut year at the distance with European 800m bronze, and newly anointed European 1500m champion Georgia Hunter Bell, expectations were high for another quick race.
Dutch runner Broeders-Bol, now running with real confidence, tracked the pacemaker through a quick first lap of 55.8, with Werro behind her and Hunter Bell just keeping in touch.
Broeders-Bol still had the advantage as they entered the final turn, but Werro edged past with 150m to go as the athletes made contact. The Swiss athlete then pulled away, striving to run down the wave lights and break the world record.
She had to be content with 1:53.70, clipping 0.10 from her previous best, set in Paris earlier this year, and moving to less than half a second away from one of the longest-standing world records in the sport.
It was also a new national record, Diamond League record and world lead.
“It was crazy, I am very proud,” she said afterwards. “Thank you everybody. I am getting better and better and I am simply very motivated. I achieved my goals for this year, so now everything is for fun. Last year I won the Diamond League race here and so it was very important for me to win again here.
“As far as the world record is concerned, I saw the light, but there was a lot of movement during the race and it was not calm. But I still had enough energy at the end of the race to accelerate and to stay in the lead.
“Yes, it was tight for the WR, it was not meant for today. I am so proud to be able to run those sub-1:54 times, which shows that I can run consistently and fast now and this is good for the future.”
Behind her, Broeders-Bol continued to exceed expectations, improving to 1:54.71 to take outright ownership of the Dutch record she equalled at Birmingham 2026. Hunter Bell was third in a world-class 1:55.03.
Mondo rises to increasing Karalis challenge
There was comparable excitement in the men’s pole vault, where world and European silver medallist Emmanouil Karalis broke new ground.
The Greek athlete, who has been providing an increasing challenge to Mondo Duplantis over the past year, cleared 6.20m at the first attempt, increasing his personal best by 3cm and strengthening his position as the second-highest vaulter of all time.
But the Swedish superstar met the challenge head-on with a first-time clearance at 6.25m to take the lead.
The two athletes both failed at a new world record height of 6.32m, giving Mondo the victory and providing another reminder of the legitimate threat Karalis can pose to his dominance of the event.
Afterwards, a thrilled Karalis said: “Not every day two people attempt for the world record, so that was nuts. I did the PR, I was able to drive for the world record, so I am glad that I am here. I really enjoyed myself. It was a great competition.
“Everyone had a blast there. The difference between these heights is mostly mental. I have to break my mental barriers. It is good that I have the attention to the world record because in the next competition it will be mentally easier.”
Elsewhere, Birmingham 2026 gold medallists Jason Joseph and Miltiadis Tentoglou both maintained their winning streaks.
Swiss athlete Joseph powered to victory in the men’s 110m hurdles in a season’s best of 13.11 (-0.2m/s), while Greece’s Tentoglou won the men’s long jump with 8.45m (+0.4m/s).
There were two world records over the hurdles. In the women’s 100m hurdles, Masai Russell of the USA set a new world record of 12.09 (0.0m/s), with European champion Nadine Visser of the Netherlands third in a season’s best of 12.34.
Karsten Warholm had to relinquish his five-year hold on the men’s 400m hurdles world record to Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, who clocked 45.80, taking 0.14 from the Norwegian’s record set at the Tokyo Olympics. Warholm was second in 46.69.
Photos courtesy of James Rhodes