After moving third on the women's world all-time list, Audrey Werro is now eyeing a possible world record in Ostrava on Tuesday in a race where Femke Broeders-Bol makes her much-anticipated outdoor 800m debut.
The Swiss athlete overhauled Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson to win in a sensational 1:53.98 at the Stockholm Diamond League earlier this month (7 June).
It was the fastest women's 800m for nearly 43 years and left her just 0.70 seconds shy of Jarmila Kratochvílová's long-standing world record.
World record is possible
Speculation has inevitably grown around a world record attempt, and European U23 champion Werro was asked about it at Monday's press conference ahead of the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava.
"I think the world record is definitely one of my dreams," she said.
"I know it's possible for me to break the world record because I am only a fraction away from it. But I don't want to put any pressure on myself.
"I think I will just break the world record in a race. If it is not tomorrow, it will be another day. I just want to run and not think too much about it."
The wave lights will be set for a 56 second opening lap to put Werro in the realm of record-breaking again.
Bol hopeful on outdoor debut
There will be just as much intrigue surrounding one of her competitors on Tuesday evening. Twice world 400m hurdles champion Femke Broeders-Bol will be making her outdoor debut over the distance since shocking the athletics world by announcing her switch last October.
She made a brief yet encouraging first appearance over 800m during the indoor season, racing once in Metz, France, where she set a new Dutch indoor record of 1:59.07.
Since then, she has recovered from a foot tendon issue and has been deep in training for the new distance.
The Dutch runner is now cautiously looking forward to her outdoor debut in Czechia.
"I think it's mostly just about executing what we want to see," she said. "There are some things from training that we would like to see in competition and then build from there for the next races."
Despite having only one 800m outing so far, she still drew plenty of confidence from her victory in February.
"It gave me so much confidence that I can run an 800m. I know I can do it. We've been working a lot on the base, getting it stronger, and also on how to run the race."
Looking ahead to the opposition in Ostrava, she added: "It's an amazing field. Audrey [Werro], who ran so fast in Stockholm. I'm really happy that I can race in a field like that in my first outdoor 800m."
Asked whether Werro could break the world record, the modest Bol said: "I think she will know better than me—she's closer to it. If she says so, I believe her."
Czechia's world indoor 400m champion Lurdes Gloria Manuel, Portugal's world 1500m champion Isaac Nader, European shot put champion Leonardo Fabbri of Italy, and Greece's world pole vault silver medallist Emmanouil Karalis are also in the line-up for the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting.
Pictures courtesy of James Rhodes