Keely Hodgkinson's challenging season ended in disappointment as she was forced to settle for bronze in the 800m at the World Championships in Tokyo, despite running her third-fastest time. The Olympic champion, who had battled three hamstring injuries and a 376-day enforced break from racing, was pipped to silver by her British teammate Georgia Hunter Bell, while unheralded Kenyan Lilian Odira claimed a shock victory.
Odira, ranked 17th in the world, stormed to gold in a personal best of 1min 54.62sec, dedicating the win to her two young sons. Hunter Bell edged Hodgkinson by 0.01 seconds to take silver in 1:54.90, with Hodgkinson finishing in 1:54.91. It was the first time since the 1984 Olympic 1500m that two Britons had made the podium in a global middle-distance race.
Hodgkinson, 23, admitted she felt under-raced after only two competitions this year, and revealed a stomach bug had affected her performance. “It’s been an absolute shit show, honestly,” she said. “I definitely do feel a little under-raced. Two races is probably not enough, especially after so long out.” UK Athletics' performance director Paula Dunn later confirmed Hodgkinson had been unwell for several days.
The race saw Kenya's Mary Moraa set a blistering pace, with Hodgkinson moving into the lead on the home straight. However, she faded in the final metres as Odira swept past. “I thought I had it. I didn’t sense the other Kenyan coming on the outside,” Hodgkinson said. “In the last five metres, my legs were falling off.”
Britain finished the championships without a gold medal for the first time in 22 years, placing 21st in the medal table. Dunn attributed the modest performance to injuries to key athletes such as Josh Kerr and Molly Caudery, underwhelming relays, and improved performances from other nations. “It’s a time to reset,” she said.
