On Monday evening, the quickest 800m girl on the planet this yr Nice Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson continued her unbelievable season on the world’s greatest stage, taking gold on the Paris Olympics in dominant style. Hodgkinson broke her silver-medal curse within the girls’s 800m last with a superbly executed efficiency, clocking 1:56.72 with two even 58-second lap splits.
Hodgkinson stated within the post-race press convention that she felt relieved to lastly get her fingers on gold. “I wished this second for a very long time—for the final three years, really,” stated Hodgkinson. “It hasn’t sunk in but, however I think about it’s going to in a number of days.”
Hodgkinson’s silver medal assortment had grown a bit of too intensive for her liking; at simply 19, she took silver behind Athing Mu of the U.S. on the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and fell simply in need of the win at each the 2022 and 2023 World Championships behind Mu and Kenya’s Mary Moraa, respectively. Within the reigning Olympic champion’s absence, Hodgkinson battled immense stress because the clear favorite coming into the competitors in Paris. In her semi-final, she showcased her skills and confidence by simply cruising to win her warmth with the quickest time within the spherical, 1:56.84.
Previously yr, Hodgkinson’s coaching has extra intently resembled that of a sprinter than a middle-distance runner–which evidently, has labored. In July, the 22-year-old set a brand new British report of 1:54.61 on the London Diamond League, turning into the sixth-fastest girl in historical past over the 800m self-discipline.
Hodgkinson’s earlier second-place place was claimed by Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma, who shocked the world by beating the reigning world champion, Moraa, in a private greatest time of 1:57.15; Moraa took bronze in 1:57.42.
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Athletics occasions on the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games are happening from Aug. 1-11. Right now’s protection is dropped at you by Canadian Operating and New Steadiness Canada. Observe us on Twitter on Instagram for all issues Staff Canada and up-to-date unique information and content material.
