Keely Hodgkinson eases into blockbuster 800m final at Ultimate Championships
Keely Hodgkinson made serene progress into the 800m final at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in her first race back since taking silver at last month’s European Championships.
The 24-year-old skipped the final rounds of the Diamond League and the Final in Brussels last week due to discomfort in her hamstring but looked relaxed and comfortable as she clocked the quickest time of the two semi-finals, 1:57.57.
As usual Hodgkinson led from the front before winding things up in the closing 200m, finishing well clear of American Addison Wiley in 1:58.14 and Australia’s Sarah Billings, who clocked 1:58.37.
There was drama as Veronica Vancardo was accidentally brought down by Eloisa Coiro as the Italian attempted to edge past on the inside in the closing straight, with Hodgkinson and the other runners going to console the Swiss athlete, who appeared badly hurt. Officials later advanced her to the final after reviewing the footage and deeming she was tripped.
Hodgkinson told BBC Sport: ““I’m happy with that, I’m glad to be back running. It was a lot of fun. It’s been a month since I last raced so it’s nice to get that run out through the legs, hopefully go a bit better tomorrow.”
On Vancardo’s fall, she said: “This season we’ve had a fair share of people falling over, but she’s still got all her teeth so she’ll be ok.
“That’s one of my worst nightmares, touch wood it hasn’t happened to me so far. It’s part of racing unfortunately.”
European champion Audrey Werro eased to victory in the second semi-final to set up the expected blockbuster clash with the Brit, with Femke Broders-Bol finishing second.
Broeders-Bol led from the start with Werro on her shoulder, but she had no response as the Swiss athlete kicked away to win in 1:59.05, easing up as the Dutchwoman finished just behind her in 1:59.19.
The glitzy new-look competition featured a spray-painted black infield, pyrotechnics, club-style music and flashing lights while TV coverage, in a departure from standard broadcasting, showed on-screen graphics predicting the likelihood of each competitor winning and their predicted finishing place.
There was a party atmosphere in Budapest’s Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre with many of the athletes seeming in good spirits – no doubt helped by the prospect of each individual champion winning $150,000 £110,000) from a huge $10m (£7.4m) total prize pot.
Elsewhere on the opening night of the competition in Budapest world record holder and Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh was crowned ultimate champion in the high jump with a clearance of 1.99m, ahead of Australian pair Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen took a dominant win in the 5000m from rival Cole Hocker, while Germany’s Merlin Hummel was a surprise winner in the hammer throw and world record holder Masai Russell again proved untouchable in the 100m hurdles.
Britain’s quartet of Romell Glave, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Jeremiah Azu and Success Eduan came third in the mixed 4x100m relay behind the US and Jamaica, while Matt Hudson-Smith finished second in his 400m heat behind American world bronze medallist Jacory Patterson to comfortably qualify for the final.
