Keely Hodgkinson eased into the semi-finals of the World Indoor Championships in Torun, winning her 800m heat in 2:00.32. The overwhelming favourite for gold revealed that her preparations were disrupted after airline KLM lost her kit for 48 hours on the flight to Poland.
Hodgkinson said she had to train in borrowed spikes, which gave her a blister, and was without her supplements until her luggage arrived. “It came last night, thank God. I was starting to get annoyed,” she said.
The 24-year-old, who broke the world indoor 800m record last month, admitted she dislikes the three-round format. “I just don’t like rounds. That was horrible, to be honest. Tomorrow, we step it up again,” she said.
Hodgkinson is aiming for her first world title after missing previous indoor championships through injury. “Obviously I want to get gold. I won’t be happy with anything else,” she said. Her main rival, Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, won her heat in 1:59.91.
Britain’s Isabelle Boffey also advanced as a fastest loser, while Ben Pattison looked strong in the men’s 800m heats. The first gold of the championships went to Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the high jump, who wore blue and yellow eye makeup to highlight Russia’s aggression.
