Team GB athlete Keely Hodgkinson has revealed the depth of her disappointment following her latest athletics setback, which she said "hurt so much."
Keely Hodgkinson was supported by a friend after a gruelling track session, as seen in a photo shared to her Instagram story. The 24-year-old is still smarting after her runner-up finish in last week's Diamond League event in Stockholm. She ran a new British national record of one minute, 54.33 seconds in the 800 metres, but was pipped to the line by Swiss star Audrey Werro.
Hodgkinson's Emotional Reaction
After the race, Hodgkinson uploaded an image of herself receiving a hug at training, captioned: "After session hugs because that s*** hurt so much." The Olympic gold medalist from the 2024 Paris Games was clearly feeling the negative effects of missing the top of the podium, despite her record-breaking performance.
A Narrow Defeat
Werro ran a new Swiss record of 1:53.98, just 0.35 seconds ahead of Hodgkinson. Werro's time was the third-fastest women's 800m ever run and the fastest since 1980. This context highlights how impressive Hodgkinson's achievement was, even in second place.
Former youth prodigy Werro has emerged as a top contender in the 800m over recent seasons and could rival Hodgkinson for years to come. However, Hodgkinson is determined to use the Stockholm result as motivation to pursue a new world record.
Hodgkinson's Champion Mentality
"Honestly, I'm not that disappointed," Hodgkinson said after the race. "I've mentioned the world record and to get down to the times that we're talking about, you can't do it by yourself. So I think this will actually be a pivotal moment."
She continued: "I really work well with a little bit of anger and motivation so I can't complain too much. Beforehand I was a bit apprehensive, because I hadn't done a specific 800m block, but I knew I was at least in 1:54-low shape."
"But she's getting the best out of me and I still believe in myself. The world record is still my goal in London next month, I still believe I can do it."
Next Steps
Hodgkinson will now compete in the 400 metres at the UK Championships in Birmingham, starting next Saturday (June 20) with heats, followed by the final on Sunday. She already holds the world record in the women's indoor 600m and aims to expand her middle-distance dominance before focusing on the 800m at July's Diamond League meet.
