Keely Hodgkinson leads a strong British team at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, which begin on Friday. The team arrived late on Wednesday after a GPS fault on their plane, but Hodgkinson is focused on winning her first world indoor gold to complete her medal collection.
The 24-year-old Olympic champion burst onto the scene by winning the European indoor title in Torun in 2021. She has since missed the world indoors in 2022, 2024 and 2025 through injury, but returns determined to recapture her fearless attitude. “I’m embracing my 19-year-old fearless, doesn’t think too much, just turns up kind of attitude and it’s working for me,” she said.
Hodgkinson’s main rival is Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, but her season’s best of 1:57.27 is well behind the world record of 1:54.87 set by Hodgkinson in February. The Briton has battled hamstring and back injuries since her Olympic gold, but said the setbacks made her a better athlete.
Other strong British medal contenders include Josh Kerr in the men’s 3,000m, where he faces Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse, and Georgia Hunter Bell in the women’s 1,500m. Molly Caudery competes in the women’s pole vault, while Dina Asher-Smith and Amy Hunt are in the world top 10 over 60m.
The championships feature nine individual Olympic champions and 11 gold medallists from last year’s world championships. Notable events include the men’s 800m, where 17-year-old American Cooper Lutkenhaus could become the youngest men’s world indoor champion.
