Budapest (AFP) - Newly-minted European champion Audrey Werro kept her nerve to outgun rivals Keely Hodgkinson and Femke Broeders-Bol for victory in the 800m at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Saturday.

In-form Swiss Werro, unbeaten this season, clocked 1min 55.88sec in a dominant gun-to-tape display, with Britain’s Olympic champion Hodgkinson taking second in 1:56.26.

Broeders-Bol, in her first season as she transitions from the 400m hurdles – an event in which she was twice a world champion, rounded out the podium.

“I am just so happy with everything I’ve had and with the race I ran tonight,” said Werro.

“I think it is really nice to be able to do something like that. I have won every race I have done this year during the outdoor season.

“It is really crazy but, at the same time, it is something I have worked for and now I am getting the result.”

Turning to her winner’s $150,000 cheque, Werro said she didn’t know what she would do with her new-found wealth.

“Maybe I will use it to improve my career and also enjoy a little bit of it and do something I have wanted to do,” she said.

“I still do not know exactly but it is a great bonus.”

Werro raced out into the lead, Broeders-Bol on her shoulder and Hodgkinson in third.

The 22-year-old Swiss champion, who was crowned continental champion at last month’s European championships in Birmingham, went through the bell in 57.84sec for the final lap.

With 200 metres to run, the three stand-out runners in the field broke away from the pack.

Hitting the home straight, Werro surged to give herself some breathing space, cruising through the line for a comfortable victory.

Hodgkinson overtook Broeders-Bol for second.

With Werro having gone third in the all-time list this season, there has been talk of her breaking the oldest record in track and field.

But there was no prospect of her of her rivals getting close to Jarmila Kratochvilova’s long-standing world record of 1:53.28 on a chilly evening in Budapest.

Hodgkinson said she was “proud how this race turned out to be”.

“I was aiming for the win today and I ended up being pretty close,” she said. “It was a great race.

“This has been an incredible season, I really love to have this many competitive women competing at a really high level.

“Those are some amazing women, we all push each other, I enjoyed racing with them this season and I hope they enjoyed it too.

“I am happy that we managed to make the women’s 800m interesting and that everyone wants to watch it. Hopefully next time I can be on top but now it’s the end of the season and I am proud of it.”

Broeders-Bol confirmed that she now loved the 800m after her switch from the hurdles.

“I’ve loved all this year even more than I expected,” she said.

“I’m a bit disappointed with the result tonight but, on the other hand, I have to ask why, what do I want? This third place means a lot.”

Broeders-Bol added: “We learn as we go on and it’s a big discovery road, and I love discovering things.

“We are with three incredible girls here at the line, we all are from Europe, we are rising each other up. I am sure we will get better and better next year.”