Britain’s Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson has been forced to pull out of a world record attempt on Saturday as well as next month’s European indoor championships after suffering a shock hamstring injury.
The 22-year-old had promised she was ready to shatter the longstanding short-track 800m world record at the new Keely Klassic event in Birmingham. However in her final training session before competing she felt a tightness in the hamstring, which a scan subsequently revealed was more serious than it initially appeared.
“I won’t lie – when I got the news, I shed a tear,” said Hodgkinson. “I’ve worked so hard for this moment and was in the best shape of my life. I’m absolutely gutted that I won’t be able to race for the fans, especially after so many have bought tickets to see me try and break the world record.”
Hodgkinson still hopes to compete in the world indoor championships in China in five weeks’ time, however a statement from her management group, Forte, admitted there were “questions about her ability to compete again this winter”.
In the meantime, she will attend the Keely Klassic to cheer on other British stars, including the 1500m Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Bell and the world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery.
“This event was never just about me—it was always about showcasing British talent, creating something new for the sport, and bringing more energy and entertainment to athletics,” said Hodgkinson, who had set up the event herself with the help of Forte. “That’s something I’m committed to for the long term.”
“I’ll be in Birmingham on Saturday doing everything I can to make sure it’s an amazing night for the athletes and the fans,” she added. “I want to help create a real festival atmosphere, engage with as many young people as possible, and hopefully inspire the next generation to fall in love with track and field.”
Hodgkinson’s absence will, however, spare the blushes of the BBC which before her injury had already decided not to show her world record attempt on its main terrestrial channels.
Instead it had chosen to show Mr Malcolm’s List, a film it aired as recently in October 2024, and a repeat of Flog It! on BBC Two instead – with the Keely Klassic event relegated to its iPlayer.
after newsletter promotion
That had come as a shock to many in athletics given that Hodgkinson attracted 9.1m viewers when winning gold in Paris, and went on to win the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award in December.