Keely Hodgkinson is targeting a third consecutive European 800m title in Birmingham, aiming to prove she remains the athlete to beat despite a demanding outdoor campaign. The 24-year-old Olympic champion has enjoyed a landmark year in 2026, highlighted by breaking the long-standing indoor 800m world record, securing her first world title, and repeatedly improving her British outdoor record.
Despite these achievements, Hodgkinson faced a setback at the Stockholm Diamond League, where she finished second to 22-year-old Swiss runner Audrey Werro. Werro clocked the fastest time seen since the outdoor world record was set 43 years ago. Since that race, Werro has continued to improve, while Hodgkinson navigated a “tricky” period that included a muscle “twinge” that forced her withdrawal from the 400m final at the British Championships in June. Additionally, she finished second to world champion Lilian Odira in Eugene, where she competed with her knees heavily bandaged following a training fall.
The competition in Birmingham is set to be intense, with the inclusion of Dutch star Femke Broeders-Bol, the two-time world 400m hurdles champion who has switched events this season. Consequently, the women’s 800m on Friday night has become the must-watch event of the championships. Reflecting on her form, Hodgkinson stated, “I feel in a good place, obviously there was a tough patch in June and July, but I’m happy, I’m excited to compete and I just think it’ll bring out the best of me.”
Addressing the narrative surrounding her recent results, Hodgkinson dismissed claims that her performance against Werro was a failure. “I think people are trying to make me feel like it was a failure and it really wasn’t. It was a British record, my fastest time ever, and I’m going to remind myself of that because I’m proud of that,” she said. “I had a tricky few weeks but, honestly, I just think it’s really good that Audrey has come on really well and Femke is running well. It’s going to be a really good race. Let’s see what happens.”
