Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson enjoyed a spectacular return to action on Saturday setting a new 800-metre world lead at the Diamond League in Poland in her first race since winning gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Hodgkinson set a new meeting record of one minute and 54.74 seconds, showing no signs of ring rust after 376 days out.
She sustained a hamstring injury in February before the Keely Klassic and her return was delayed by a number of setbacks.
But the 23-year-old made a statement ahead of next month’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
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Hodgkinson finished clear of Lilian Odira from Kenya and Botswana’s Oratile Nowe in Silesia with the second fastest time of her career, just 0.13 seconds off her personal best.
“That was so much fun. It’s amazing, I really wanted to have this opportunity,” Hodgkinson told the BBC.
“I don’t have much time to get ready for the worlds, so I have to put something down.”
Information from PA was used in this report.
