Keely Hodgkinson Shatters Indoor 800m World Record in Lievin
Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson has delivered a breathtaking performance by breaking the indoor 800m world record, clocking an astonishing time of one minute 54.87 seconds. The 23-year-old British athlete achieved this remarkable feat in Lievin on Thursday, demolishing the previous record by nearly a full second.
A Record Two Decades in the Making
The previous indoor world record of one minute 55.82 seconds had been held by Jolanda Ceplak since March 3, 2002 – coincidentally the very day Hodgkinson was born. For years, surpassing this benchmark had been a burning ambition for the Team GB star, who has now cemented her place in athletics history.
Hodgkinson's triumph comes after a challenging period following her Olympic gold medal victory in 2024, during which she battled persistent injuries that hampered her training and competition schedule for much of last year.
Looking Toward the Ultimate Prize
With the indoor record now secured, Hodgkinson's attention turns to the outdoor 800m world record of one minute 53.28 seconds, which has stood since 1983 when Jarmila Kratochvilova set the mark. Speaking about her ambitions, Hodgkinson recently told The Inside Lane: "I think my aim for this year is just to see the boundaries that we can push. I've said in the past couple of years, 1:53 is possible. I really think it is."
She elaborated further: "I think this would be a good year to try, as long as I stay healthy, get everything done and give it a good shot. I've been knocking on that 1:54 for a while, I think I'm due a 1:53."
A Transformed Mindset and Motivation
What makes Hodgkinson's achievement particularly noteworthy is her evolved perspective on competition and success. Following her Olympic triumph, she had initially set her sights on material rewards, famously declaring she would purchase a Porsche if she won gold in Paris.
However, after test driving the luxury vehicle last year, Hodgkinson experienced a change of heart. She revealed on the High Performance Podcast in October: "What have I used for motivation this year? To be honest, last year, I enjoyed competing so much, that feeling of being in the best shape of your life, being able to put on a performance and win races."
The athlete's motivation has shifted from material goals to the pure joy of competition and performance excellence. She explained: "Just being able to do what you worked so hard for, that was literally all my motivation this year."
Finding Silver Linings in Adversity
Hodgkinson's injury struggles last year, while challenging, provided unexpected benefits and perspective. The enforced break from competition allowed her to reconnect with aspects of life beyond athletics.
"A good thing when you get injured is you have so much more time," Hodgkinson reflected. "I have not travelled as much, I spent between April and July at home, which I never get to do. With that time, I got to see my family more, I got to see my friends more, I just wanted to enjoy life."
This period of reflection has fundamentally changed her approach: "Maybe that's another way that I'm a different person now, I don't look at those things as goals that I want. It's more just, I want to enjoy every little thing that comes my way, and just have a good time with that and surround myself with great people and experience good things."
Celebrating the Achievement
Following her record-breaking run in Lievin, Hodgkinson expressed her delight to the crowd, saying: "Thank God! That was really fun. I was really looking forward to this." In a fitting celebration of her achievement, she was presented with a golden crown and sat upon a throne at the side of the track.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, Hodgkinson remains optimistic about her prospects: "I feel like this season is going to be a delayed but never denied type moment. I've had my healthiest winter in years. I'm really happy about that and I'm just grateful to be able to move my body, push it, not have anything hold me back and just do what I do best, run."
With her indoor world record secured and a renewed perspective on her career, Keely Hodgkinson continues to establish herself as one of Britain's most accomplished and thoughtful athletes, combining elite performance with personal growth and maturity.
