Audrey Werro Runs 1:53.80: The 800m World Record Is In Range
Swiss star Audrey Werro clocked 1:53.80 in Paris, the third-fastest women's 800m in history, edging closer to Jarmila Kratochvilova's 1983 world record of 1:53.28.
· 4 min read · Athletics News
The oldest record in track and field is starting to look vulnerable. On Sunday 28 June at the Paris Diamond League, **Audrey Werro** of Switzerland ran **1:53.80** to win the women's 800m — a Diamond League record and the **third-fastest time in history**.
The 22-year-old has now run three of the nine fastest 800m performances ever, all within a few weeks. The mark she is chasing, **Jarmila Kratochvilova's 1:53.28**, was set on 26 July 1983 and is the longest-standing individual world record in the sport.
What makes 1:53.80 so significant
For four decades, sub-1:54 was essentially untouchable. Kratochvilova's 1983 record survived the careers of every great two-lap runner who followed. Then in June 2026 the barrier fell twice in a month:
- **7 June, Stockholm:** Werro ran **1:53.98**, becoming the first woman under 1:54 since 1983. - **28 June, Paris:** Werro improved to **1:53.80**, moving to third on the world all-time list.
Werro paced the race honestly, following the pacemaker through 400m at close to 55-second pace and pulling the field along with her — seven of the top eight finishers set personal bests behind her.
Where the world record stands
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | 1:53.28 | Jarmila Kratochvilova (TCH) | 1983 | | = | 1:53.80 | Audrey Werro (SUI) | 2026 | | = | 1:53.98 | Audrey Werro (SUI) | 2026 |
The gap to the record is now barely half a second. In 2026 alone, five women have run under 1:56 — a depth of quality the event has never seen. That kind of competition is exactly what tends to drag a stubborn record down.
What happens next
Werro confirmed she will not race another 800m until the European Championships in Birmingham in August. That leaves the door open for Britain's Olympic champion **Keely Hodgkinson**, who has openly targeted the world record in front of a home crowd at the London Diamond League on 19 July. See our [Keely Hodgkinson world record preview](/blog/keely-hodgkinson-800m-world-record) for how that showdown shapes up.
Paris delivered far more than the 800m — read the full [Paris Diamond League 2026 recap](/blog/paris-diamond-league-2026) for Marco Arop's 1:41.84, the sprint upset, and multiple meeting records.
More middle-distance context
- [Mile world record](/blog/mile-world-record) — the men's and women's fastest miles - [800m world record](/blog/800m-world-record) — full men's and women's progression - Test your own speed against [average 5K time by age](/blog/average-5k-time) or calculate your track splits with our [pace calculator](/tools/pace-calculator).
**Find races:** Browse [track and road running events in Paris](/races/france/paris) or globally on Your Run Guide to find your next race.