Keely Hodgkinson targets 800m world record at London Diamond League

Britain's Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson, 24, will compete at the London Diamond League on 18 July, hoping to break the 43‑year‑old women's 800m world record of 1:53.28 set by Czechoslovakia's Jarmila Kratochvílová in 1983. After an injury‑free season that included an indoor world record and a gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, Hodgkinson says she feels "in a really good place" and is eager to chase the mark on home soil. She also plans to race in Stockholm, the Prefontaine Classic and a 400‑metre outing in Rome as part of her preparation. Fellow British athlete Josh Kerr will also target the men’s mile record at the same meet.

Hodgkinson’s ambition is to join the elite few who have approached sub‑50 seconds for 400 m, sub‑1:54 for 800 m and sub‑4 minutes for 1,500 m, showcasing her range across multiple distances.