Hodgkinson Sets Sights on World Title with Confident Opening Run
Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, the reigning Olympic champion, has begun her quest for a first world title in impressive fashion, securing a comfortable passage to the semi-finals of the women’s 800m in Tokyo. After a delayed start to the season due to injury, Hodgkinson is looking strong and ready to compete for the gold.
Hodgkinson, widely considered the gold-medal favorite, showcased her talent and composure after a challenging period. Despite enduring a 376-day wait to return to competitive action following last summer’s Games and battling two hamstring tears, she demonstrated her resilience by securing back-to-back victories in her only two pre-championship races in August.
Returning to the very stadium where she clinched Olympic silver as a teenager four years prior, the now 23-year-old Hodgkinson expertly controlled her heat, a performance that solidified her place in Friday’s semi-finals. Adding to the anticipation, she will be joined by her training partner Georgia Hunter Bell, raising hopes for a remarkable British one-two finish in the event.
I don’t like the rounds, they feel awful, they are awful. I just really wanted to enjoy being back in the stadium. It’s so nice to be here, Hodgkinson shared with BBC Sport.
It wasn’t pretty or dominant, but it’s nice to be safely through. It’s been a long week waiting around. Whoever put the 800m last, thank you.
”I’ve just been looking forward to getting out here, at one point I didn’t even know if I’d be here. It definitely means a lot, round by round I’m hoping it goes my way.
It would mean even more than last year [to win]. I’m just trying to embrace it all.
Hodgkinson’s winning time in her heat was a comfortable 1 minute 59.79 seconds – a time more than five seconds slower than her own British record, indicating a strategic approach to conserve energy for the rounds ahead.
Hunter Bell Joins Hodgkinson in the 800m Semi-Finals
Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell, who made a strategic decision to shift her focus to the shorter 800m distance in pursuit of another global podium finish, also enjoyed a successful start, clinching victory in her heat with a time of 1:58.82.
Hunter Bell expressed her enthusiasm to BBC Sport: We have been out in Japan for a long time, so it felt like Christmas morning getting out on track. Doing the 800m is the right decision. I feel like I have really got something to show – I have a high ranking and with my team-mate this was the year to do it.
Key Rivals in the Women’s 800m
While the British duo looks strong, significant challenges remain. Kenya’s reigning champion Mary Moraa, Ethiopia’s Olympic silver medallist Tsige Duguma, and the in-form Swiss athlete Audrey Werro are all formidable contenders who will be vying for a place on the podium. Unfortunately, British team-mate Jemma Reekie missed out on qualifying after finishing fifth in her heat.
Other British Performances: Anning, Hughes, Asher-Smith, and More
Great Britain’s Amber Anning secured a commendable fifth place in the women’s 400m final. The race saw American hurdles star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone come close to breaking a 40-year record, ultimately claiming a stunning gold. McLaughlin-Levrone clocked the second-fastest 400m flat time in history with 47.78. World indoor champion Anning replicated her top-five placing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, running a season’s best 49.36.
In the 200m events, Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, Dina Asher-Smith, and Amy Hunt each secured spots in the finals. Hughes, after missing out on the 100m final, followed three-time defending champion Noah Lyles across the line in 19.95 seconds to book his place. Lyles delivered a dominant performance, finishing in a world-leading time of 19.51. Hunt ran a personal best of 22.08, while Asher-Smith qualified second in her heat. However, Daryll Neita finished fourth and did not advance to the final.
Max Burgin will compete in the men’s 800m final, while Ben Pattison’s challenge ended. Hannah Nuttall qualified for the women’s 5,000m final. Morgan Lake safely qualified for the high jump final.
Hodgkinson’s confident start signals her intent to seize the world title. With strong competition and the support of her training partner, the upcoming rounds promise to be exhilarating. The journey to the podium is far from over, but the Olympic champion has laid a solid foundation for success in Tokyo.
