Georgia Hunter Bell returns to Glasgow with unfinished business this summer, as the world indoor champion looks to add a Commonwealth Games medal in the city where she made the decision that transformed her career.
The 32-year-old was a frequent commuter to the Commonwealth Games host city in her job in tech sales before the 2024 World Indoor Championships provided her breakthrough. This summer she will return for an 800m rematch with Kenyan Lilian Odira, who came from nowhere to pip Hunter Bell to the World Championship title in Tokyo last year by just 0.28 seconds.
A City of Transformation
“It’s a really special city for me. I have a lot of good memories there,” said Hunter Bell, whose National Lottery funding has helped ensure access to full-time training, access to the world's best coaches, and pioneering technology, science and medical support. “I used to go there quite a lot for work with clients so it’s funny seeing my two lives collide when I go back and drive past companies I use to work with. But now I head to the stadium to run around in circles. I’ve got nothing but good memories from there now.”
“The 2024 World Indoor Championships was the opportunity when I really made the decision to go for running and change my life and that led me to the amazing path I’m on now. I’m so grateful for the opportunity that Glasgow gave me and very excited to come back and compete.”
From Injury Comeback to Global Star
Hunter Bell’s career away from sport saw her take five years away as a result of injuries, before making an unlikely return in 2023. Since then, she has become one of the world’s leading track stars across the 800m and 1500m, with the former her pick for Glasgow 2026. In 2024, she became British Indoor champion in the 1500m to earn selection for the worlds, where she finished just off the podium in fourth. That result marked her capabilities on the world stage, before she went on to claim Olympic bronze and European silver in the same year.
Hunter Bell already has one gold to her name this year – winning her first global title in the World Indoor Championships’ 1500m – and has been in fine form in the Diamond League. She will now hope to add two more medals to that growing honours list as she prepares to compete at both the Commonwealth Games and the Birmingham 2026 European Championships.
Home Soil Opportunities
“I want to take advantage of every opportunity and the fact both are on home soil in Glasgow and in Birmingham means I absolutely want to run in front of a home crowd,” she said. “Any opportunity to win a medal, I want to be there. I feel like I’m in really good shape so it would be such an exciting opportunity to do that. I feel very lucky that it's crossed over into my career because athletes' careers can be 10 to 15 years and you may never race on home soil. To have two in one summer is so special. I was absolutely going to always take advantage of that.”
The decision between the 800m, in which she won her World Championships silver, and the mile was a real contention. But with training partner Keely Hodgkinson not competing in Glasgow, and honour to restore against Odira, it was two laps that came out on top. She will now go for glory at Scotstoun, one of three competition venues which has benefited from National Lottery funding.
National Lottery Support
England Athletics, meanwhile, has received 32 National Lottery grants totalling around £22 million for athletics and para athletics since 2006. Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £33 million is raised every week for good causes. It’s because of you sport, arts, heritage and community projects, as well as our athletes competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, are supported across the UK.
