© Copyright – 2024 – Athletics Illustrated
Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, one of the favourites to medal in the 800-metre event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games looked fit winning the London Diamond League meet on Saturday.
The 22-year-old ran to the front early and led throughout, not relinquishing the lead at any time. Hodgkinson improved her national record with the performance in front of the 60,000-seat, sold-out London Olympic Stadium.
1:54.61!🤯🔥
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) July 20, 2024
World Lead☑️
National Record☑️
Keely Hodgkinson 🇬🇧 becomes the 6th fastest woman in history, running an amazing 1:54.61 to win the women’s 800m at the London Diamond League!
Jemma Reekie🇬🇧 in 2nd, ran a huge PB of 1:55.61, while Georgia Bell🇬🇧 was 3rd in 1:56.28. pic.twitter.com/EqPNqwehdj
Fellow Brit Jemma Reekie, who has been running well this season, was in the mix at the halfway split, along with France’s Halimah Nakaayi and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin who moved from fourth to third with fewer than 400m to go. Reekie was running on Hodgkinson’s shoulder for much of the race.
After 600m, Hodgkinson kicked, then won in a world-leading, and meet record time of 1:54.61. It was her first finish going sub 1:55. Hodgkinson’s previous best was 1:55.19 from the Eugene Diamond League meet in Sept. 2023. Reekie set a new personal best of 1:55.61 for second place. England’s Georgia Bell took third for a British podium sweep. Bell also clocked a new PB of 1:56.26.
As it turned out, it was a very fast race with all 10 finishers clocking at least a season’s best, personal best or national record. Nakaayi of France set a new national record with her 1:57.26 finish. All finished under 1:59.
At this time, the only athlete in the world to push (or pull) Hodgkinson to the line in Paris appears to be Mary Moraa of Kenya. Moraa was not in the race and has a season’s best of 1:56.71, which is fast, but now more than a second off of Hodgkinson’s race today.
Results
| 1 | 5 | GBR | HODGKINSON Keely | 1:54.61 WL,MR,NR, PB | 2 | 16 | 1:55.78 | 1:55.19 |
| 2 | 6 | GBR | REEKIE Jemma | 1:55.61 PB | 1 | 20 | 1:57.45 | 1:56.90 |
| 3 | 7 | GBR | BELL Georgia | 1:56.28 PB | 11 | 6 | 1:59.93 | 1:59.93 |
| 4 | 2 | JAM | GOULE-TOPPIN Natoya | 1:56.83 SB | 5 | 15 | 1:59.06 | 1:55.96 |
| 5 | 1 | FRA | LAMOTE Rénelle | 1:57.06 PB | 15 | 4 | 2:00.76 | 1:57.84 |
| 6 | 4 | UGA | NAKAAYI Halimah | 1:57.26 NRPB | 8 | 11 | 1:57.56 | 1:57.56 |
| 7 | 7 | USA | WILSON Allie | 1:57.52 PB | 20 | 2 | 1:58.32 | 1:58.09 |
| 8 | 3 | GBR | MUIR Laura | 1:57.63 SB | 22 | 1 | 2:03.49 | 1:56.73 |
| 9 | 4 | AUS | BISSET Catriona | 1:58.12 SB | 9 | 9 | 1:58.44 | 1:57.78 |
| 10 | 2 | ITA | BELLÒ Elena | 1:58.89 PB | 10 | 7 | 1:59.83 | 1:58.97 |
| DNF | 8 | GBR | WALLACE Erin | 1:59.19 | 1:59.19 |
Other winners in London
Austalia’s Oliver Hoare won the mile race (1609m) in the time of 3:49.03. On his heels were Norway’s Narve Gilje Nordas in 3:49.06 for second and Spain’s Adel Mechaal clocking a 3:49.21, both season bests.
The Netherlands 400m hurdler Femke Bol who is a favourite to medal in Paris ran a new meet record and second-best time, personally winning in 51.30. Shamier Little from the US ran a season’s best 52.78 for second in 52.78. Taking third as Rushell Clayon from Jamaica in 53.24.
Full meet results are available here:
