Keely Hodgkinson withdrew from the 400m final at the UK Athletics Championships in tears just seconds before the race, but her camp moved quickly to downplay injury concerns. The Olympic 800m champion had been using the event as a speed-work opportunity ahead of a potential world record attempt later this summer.
Hodgkinson emerged for the women’s 400m final and began pre-race strides in her lane before stopping, grimacing, and slowly leaving the track. After a few seconds of thought, she crouched down and cried before being led away. In a statement, she said: 'I wasn’t feeling 100% standing on the start line, so I made the tough decision to step away and not race. I didn’t want to risk anything ahead of this summer.' Her coaches attributed the withdrawal to muscle tightness at the end of her warm-up.
Minutes earlier, Hodgkinson’s training partner Georgia Hunter Bell won the 800m title in a championship record of 1:55.93. Hunter Bell said: 'I’ve only just found out. I’m not sure what’s up because she was warming up really well. We were warming up together and she was looking amazing.'
In the men’s 800m, Ben Boffey retained his title, while Jake Wightman took gold in a battle with Ben Pattison. Matt Hudson-Smith regained the men’s 400m title in 44.45, dedicating his Father’s Day win to his daughter. Success Eduan shocked Amy Hunt in the women’s 200m, and Zharnel Hughes won the men’s 200m in 20.04.
