Keely Hodgkinson debuted a new look live on the BBC at the European Championships in Birmingham on Tuesday, sporting a pair of wrap-around sunglasses for the first time ever in a race. The 24-year-old Olympic 800m champion breezed through her heat, recording her fastest time in a heat as she crossed the line first in 1:57.28.
Fastest Heat Time
While the time put her ahead of Swiss rival Audrey Werro, Hodgkinson drew attention for the sleek choice of sunglasses on a scorching-hot day in the Midlands. "I'm trying not to get wrinkles and stop the Botox early," she joked after her heat to the BBC. "So, sunglasses had to go on today. Oh, it's sunny out there. Sometimes it's quite nice just to like block everything out."
Hodgkinson added: "I train with sunglasses on all the time, so yeah, it's whatever. Will I wear them for the final? It's going to be 10pm. I'm not going to need them. I want to see everything."
Rivalry with Werro
Hodgkinson looks to be in top condition for her likely battle with Werro and fellow Olympic medallist Femke Broeders-Bol on Friday night. "I felt really good," Hodgkinson said after the heat. "I think that's the fastest I've ever run in a heat. But I could feel the girls pushing on my shoulder."
"And, to be honest, running at that kind of pace is a bit more in keeping with my training, so it actually felt kind of nice. I had to slow myself down a bit. But I've got a day off now before the semi-final and I feel good."
Training Camp Success
She revealed that prior to Birmingham, she set a personal best at a training camp in Portugal. "Portugal went really well," Hodgkinson said. "I'm really happy and just excited to showcase where I'm at and hopefully have the performance I know I'm capable of. It's always all about medals. They create legacy. This will hopefully be my fifth back-to-back title."
Next up is the semi-final on Thursday, with Werro standing in her way. Werro eased through in 1:57.83, while Broeders-Bol continued her transition from the 400m hurdles with a respectable 1:59.96.
The 22-year-old Werro beat Hodgkinson in Stockholm in June and nailed the third fastest time in history. She has no qualms about facing Hodgkinson on her home turf, where she will be backed by a noisy and significant crowd. "It's always like all other championships," Werro said. "It's true that there are a lot of people here for her, but I think there are also a lot of Swiss people, so it's a bit of a balance. It's really great to be here at the European championships and I am expecting great things."
