Keely Hodgkinson Targets 800m World Record

Keely Hodgkinson has set her sights on breaking the longstanding 800m women’s world record which has stood for over 40 years. The 22-year-old Olympic gold medalist from Paris aims to surpass the current record of 1:53.28, set by Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983. Keely Hodgkinson clocked a time of 1:56.72 in Paris but impressed with a 1:54.61 in London earlier this year.

Speaking at a ‘Team GB’s Homecoming’ event in Manchester, she expressed her confidence and ambition, stating, “I think I can break that record. It’s been a long time since anyone has hit 1:53 seconds.” In other news, Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Georgia Bell is contemplating a transition to full-time athletics. The 30-year-old returned to running three years ago after a hiatus and currently balances her athletic career with a job in cyber security.

Bell mentioned, “Work has been super-supportive, but balancing both roles is challenging. I need to think about it further.” Additionally, Toby Roberts made history by becoming the first Briton to win an Olympic medal in sports climbing. The 19-year-old secured gold in the boulder and lead events at the Paris Olympics. Reflecting on his achievement, Roberts described the experience as “a bit of a blur.”

He expressed amazement at having the medal around his neck and said it feels like a dream to be among elite athletes. The ‘Team GB Homecoming’ event, celebrating these athletes’ achievements, will be broadcast on BBC One on Sunday, 18 August at 20:30 BST.