Hodgkinson runs championship record in 800m final
Keely Hodgkinson secured her first world indoor title in a commanding performance, winning the 800m gold with a championship record on a historic evening for Great Britain.
The Olympic gold medallist became Great Britain's first women's 800m world champion—indoors or outdoors—dominating the race and finishing more than a second ahead of her competitors with a time of one minute 55.30 seconds.
The indoor 800m world record holder returned to the track to participate in the women's 4x400m relay at the conclusion of the final day in Torun. Despite her efforts on the anchor leg, she was unable to overcome a significant deficit to secure a medal for the team.
Hodgkinson's 800m victory capped off 28 minutes of success following wins by her training partner Georgia Hunter Bell and pole vaulter Molly Caudery, marking a remarkable Sunday for the British team.
Combined with Josh Kerr's 3,000m win on Saturday, this achievement ensured the British team’s most successful World Indoor Championships ever, surpassing the three gold medals won in 1999.
Hodgkinson peerless in pursuit of elusive 800m gold
After delivering a record-breaking run last month that shattered Jolanda Ceplak's nearly 24-year-old women's indoor 800m record, Hodgkinson focused intently on securing gold in Torun.
This title represented the final international podium achievement missing from Hodgkinson's extensive accolades, as injuries had prevented her from competing in the last three editions of the championships.
At 24 years old, Hodgkinson had also been denied outdoor world gold in three attempts, earning two silver medals and one bronze.
She expressed hope that it would be "fourth time lucky" indoors in 2026.
However, she faced adversity even before her gold medal pursuit began, as the airline she traveled with lost her equipment.
With her belongings delayed, Hodgkinson had to complete her preparations wearing someone else's spikes, which caused her to develop a blister.
Nonetheless, this did not affect her performance; she dominated Friday's heat and then comfortably won Saturday's semi-final with a time faster than all but one of her fellow finalists' personal bests.
Among her competitors, Switzerland's Audrey Werro was the only athlete with an indoor best time within three seconds of Hodgkinson's world record. Hodgkinson's superiority was clear as she confidently pulled away inside the venue where she earned her first international medal five years earlier.
