Keely Hodgkinson stopped the clock at an incredible 1:56.33 with a gun-to-tape display in the 800m heats at the UK Indoor Championships in Birmingham on Saturday (14) afternoon.
In her first indoor race in almost three years, Hodgkinson shoots up to third on the world indoor all-time list with a performance which was also achieved without the assistance of either pacemakers or wavelights.
Hodgkinson made her intentions known from the gun as she blasted clear of her rivals through 200m in 27.36 before reaching 400m point in 56.28. The reigning Olympic and European 800m champion was the entire straight ahead of her competitors as she reached 600m in 1:26.11 before putting the finishing touches to her solo demonstration with a strong last lap to stop the clock at a 1:56.33.
"I know I am in really good shape at the moment. I’m grateful to run in front of a British crowd. It was a lot of fun. I just wanted to practice that new 800m start [the break from lanes is now after 165 metres] and it was a good opportunity to do that. I guess I accidentally ran quite fast!" said Hodgkinson in her post-race trackside interview.
Hodgkinson announced on the eve of the championships that she is only planning on contesting the 800m heats in Birmingham but she will be in action again next Thursday in Lievin where Jolanda Ceplak’s long-standing world indoor record of 1:55.82 from the 2002 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Vienna could be under threat.
"I think it's all about being fearless, not being afraid of the pain and getting the best out of myself. I'm excited to see what that looks like," said Hodgkinson on her plans for Lievin on Thursday.
Incidentally, Ceplak's enduring world indoor record was set on the same day Hodgkinson was born: 3 March 2002.
Other highlights from the first day of the UK Indoor Championships included reigning European 100m champion Dina Asher-Smith winning the women's 60m in a championship record of 7.05 ahead of Amy Hunt in 7.15 and world and European indoor champion Jeremiah Azu winning the men's 60m in 6.56 ahead of Romell Glave in 6.62.
2024 world indoor champion Molly Caudery also cleared 4.65m on her season's debut in the pole vault.
The second day of the UK Athletics Indoor Championships will also be streamed live through the European Athletics website.
Updated world indoor all-time list
1:55.82 - Jolanda Ceplak (SLO) 2002
1:55.85 - Stefanie Graf (AUT) 2002
1:56.33 - Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) 2026
1:56.40 - Christine Wachtel (GDR) 1988
1:56.90 - Ludmila Formanova (CZE) 1999
1:57.06 - Maria Mutola (MOZ) 1999
1:57.23 - Inna Yevseyeva (UKR) 1992
1:57.27 - Audrey Werro (SUI) 2026
1:57.43 - Isabelle Boffey (GBR) 2026
1:57.47 - Natalya Tsyganova (RUS) 1999
Photos courtesy of James Rhodes