OLYMPIC champion Keely Hodgkinson says “domination” is her goal for the year after securing the world indoor 800m title in Poland.
The British athlete claimed gold in a time of 1 minute 55.30 seconds, finishing more than a second clear of her rivals and making history as Britain’s first women’s 800m world champion, indoors or outdoors.
After winning gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Hodgkinson had to wait 376 days to return to competition following two serious hamstring injuries.
“My word this year has been domination,” she said after winning gold.
“When I’m in the shape of my life, why leave it to chance?”
“If you want to beat me, I’ll make you work hard for it.”
Hodgkinson later returned to the track to help Great Britain’s women’s 4x400m relay team push for a medal.
Despite running the fastest leg of the race with a 50.10 second split, she was unable to overturn a significant deficit on the final leg.
The 24-year-old says she now feels reconnected to her “fearless” 19-year-old self and is determined to make up for lost time.
Hodgkinson’s victory came despite travel disruption, with the airline losing her luggage on arrival. She was forced to compete in another athlete’s spikes, which left her with blisters.
After what she described as her “healthiest” winter training period in several years, Hodgkinson appears to be in frightening form. With European and Commonwealth titles on home soil this summer, there is only one colour of medal on her mind.
