Keely Hodgkinson laid down a marker ahead of next month’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in the Silesia Diamond League on Saturday (16) afternoon.
In her first race since winning Olympic gold in Paris just over a year ago, Hodgkinson made a brilliant return to the track following a lingering hamstring injury, winning the 800m in a solo world lead and meeting record of 1:54.74.
Hodgkinson tracked pacemaker Lisanne de Witte through 400m in 56.09 and the Brit looked in full control and at her very best again as she forged away from the field on the second lap, winning by almost two seconds from Kenya’s Lilian Odira (1:56.52) and Botswana’s Oratile Nowe (1:56.76).
Hodgkinson’s winning time of 1:54.74 was a massive improvement on the previous world lead of 1:56.64 set by Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma at the start of the season in Shanghai and was the second fastest time of her career, narrowly behind her British record of 1:54.61 set in London last year.
"The track here is very fast. I wanted to open my season today, I was ready and it worked. I was just happy to step on the track after more than a year. As I got closer to the race I got more and more relaxed.
"I enjoyed the feeling of the race. I planned to run a fast time because I do not have five races anymore before Tokyo, I only have today and the meeting in Lausanne. So it had to be fast and I am happy that it worked," said Hodgkinson.
After winning silver medals at the last two World Athletics Championships, Hodgkinson will be aiming to upgrade to gold in Tokyo and complete the set of major titles having won Olympic gold in 2024 and European gold in 2022 and 2024.