Keely Hodgkinson runs the fastest in first round of 800m in Birmingham, eyes third consecutive European title
The five-time European champion and Olympic champion praised all rivals.
Keely Hodgkinson, 24-year-old English runner, was the fastest in the first round of the women's 800m race at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, one of the most anticipated events of the week, which features other super stars like Audrey Werro from Switzerland and Femke Broeders-Bol from the Netherlands, although it was the Brit who took the fastest time on Tuesday.
Hodgkinson had the fastest time in the morning event on Tuesday, at 1:57.40. Werro was the second best with 1:57.83 and Broeders-Bol run at 1:59.96.
Hodgkinson, current Olympic champion and winner of three European Championships in 2022 and 2024, and two more indoor, said that "the first round is always a bit tricky" and she has to step up in semifinals, but praised all her rivals. "Given the depth we have in the women's 800m I had to give 100%, which I have never done before in the heats", and added that "this championship title would feel like a world title, because of the girls I will be racing against."
The semifinals of the 800m race will take place on Thursday, 13 August and the final will be on Friday, 14 August at 21:46 BST local time, 22:46 CEST.
