Keely Hodgkinson did not hold back after Britain’s disapponting campaign at the World Athletics Championships, describing her season as “an absolute s**tshow” following a dramatic 800m final in Tokyo.
The 23-year-old Olympic champion was pipped to silver by training partner and close friend Georgia Hunter Bell, with both denied gold by Kenya’s Lilian Odira, who produced a late surge to win in a championship record time.
The result summed up a frustrating week for British Athletics, whose five-medal haul was half of what they achieved at the last World Championships in Budapest.
Hodgkinson had looked poised to claim Britain’s first world title in 18 years as she led into the home straight, Hunter Bell on her shoulder in what could have been an iconic one-two finish.
But Odira’s perfectly timed sprint ruined the script and left Hodgkinson visibly distraught when the result flashed on the scoreboard.
“I think when you look at some of the greats in all sports, there are years where they’ve missed podiums or had tough seasons,” Hodgkinson said afterwards.
“Somehow, I’ve managed to stay on that trajectory for a long time, which I think is incredible.
Keely Hodgkinson and George Hunter Bell were pipped to gold by Lilian Odira on Sunday
|REUTERS
“At the end of my career, people will remember what you’ve won, not what you’ve lost.
“This will just go down as part of my journey — but honestly, this year has been an absolute sh*tshow.”
Her frustration was understandable. After 376 days out with a hamstring injury, Hodgkinson only returned to competition last month, winning two Diamond League races in a remarkable comeback.
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Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell pose with their medals at the World Athletics Championships | REUTERSBut she later revealed she had been battling illness for the four days leading up to the final.
Hunter Bell, meanwhile, produced a personal best to beat her training partner by a hundredth of a second for silver — a remarkable result for the 31-year-old who switched down from 1500m this season.
“I just think I’m on my own path and it’s cool,” she said.
The near-miss capped a difficult championship for Britain.
Injuries to Matt Hudson-Smith, Josh Kerr and Molly Caudery robbed the team of three strong medal contenders, while a return of zero relay medals was particularly damaging after five podium finishes in Paris last year.
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Performance director Paula Dunn admitted Britain’s edge over rival nations, which had long been established, has now been eroded.
“The marginal advantage we had has gone,” she said. “This is a rebuild year for us.”
Keely Hodgkinson won gold in the 800m at Paris 2024 | PAThe disappointment came against the backdrop of torrential rain that fell soon after the race — a fitting metaphor for a campaign that promised much but fell short.
Despite the setback, Hodgkinson vowed to return stronger. “This is part of the journey,” she said. “I’ll be back.”