Fresh from winning Great Britain’s most prestigious annual sports award, 2024 Olympic Games and European 800m gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson is now setting her sights on a world record in the New Year.
The British athlete, who picked up the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award on Tuesday (17) is targeting Jolanda Čeplak’s world short track 800m record of 1:55.82 from the Vienna 2002 European Athletics Indoor Championships.
By coincidence, the Slovenian’s long standing record occurred on 3 March 2002, the same day Hodgkinson was born.
Hodgkinson will attempt to lower the mark at the newly launched Keely Klassic meeting, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze meeting that will take place in Birmingham on 15 February.
Energy and passion
“I’m beyond excited to announce the Keely Klassic, my first track race since becoming Olympic champion,” Hodgkinson told Athletics Weekly. “This event is all about bringing energy, passion, and top-tier athletics to the fans. It will be an unforgettable experience for everyone involved, with some of the UK’s best athletes competing, and a special focus on the 800m.
“I’m also thrilled to attempt to break the world record – this is an opportunity for me to take my career to the next level while giving back to the sport that has given me so much.”
Hodgkinson is a two-time 800m gold medallist at the European Athletics Indoor Championships, winning in Torun 2021 and Istanbul 2023, and could achieve her hat trick at Apeldoorn 2025 on 6-9 March.
Chris Broadbent for European Athletics