Keely Hodgkinson marked her return to competitive action in spectacular fashion on Saturday, winning the 800m in Silesia with a world-leading time of 1min 54.74sec. The Olympic champion's performance, her first race in 376 days, was the ninth fastest in history and came despite lingering doubts after a series of hamstring injuries.
The 23-year-old collected an MBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle three months ago, but the trip aggravated her back and soon after she tore her right hamstring. It was her third such injury in nine months, following problems with her left hamstring in August and February. Her coach, Trevor Painter, said the setback would have 'ripped the heart out of most mortals'.
Painter revealed that Hodgkinson faced significant pressure and criticism during her layoff, particularly over her TikTok activity. 'People keep saying, Oh, stop doing TikToks and get training,' he said. But Hodgkinson answered her doubters emphatically, attacking from the front and refusing to ease up before the line.
Painter believes Hodgkinson, now stronger than before, could run 1:53, potentially challenging Jarmila Kratochvilova's long-standing world record of 1:53.28. He hinted at a possible attempt in New York in October, with Femke Bol potentially acting as pacemaker. 'You never know,' he said.
Hodgkinson's team have adjusted her training to prevent further injuries, focusing on endurance over high-intensity sessions and adding a full-time physiotherapist funded by Nike. Painter stressed the measures benefit the entire M11 track club, not just Hodgkinson.
