Olympic Champ Keely Hodgkinson Eyes 43-Year World Record

After smashing the world indoor record in February, Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson has her sights set on an even bigger prize: the outdoor 800m world record that has stood untouched for 43 years.

The 24-year-old British runner will attempt to break Jarmila Kratochvilova's record of one minute 53.28 seconds, set back in July 1983. Hodgkinson hopes to make history in front of 60,000 fans at London Stadium this July.

Her confidence comes from what she calls the best winter training block of her career. After an injury-disrupted start to 2025, including two significant hamstring tears, she hasn't missed a single session in recent months.

The timing couldn't be better. With no global outdoor championships this year for the first time in five years, Hodgkinson can focus entirely on chasing the record.

"I get really excited about London and the crowd," Hodgkinson said. "As a British person, competing there is so much fun."

Her teammate Josh Kerr has already announced he'll target the mile world record at the same London meet on July 18. Hodgkinson joked it might become "a battle of the world records" to see who can claim the better achievement.

She'll begin her outdoor season testing her speed over 400m in Rome on June 4. Then she'll race 800m events in Stockholm and Eugene before the London attempt.

Why This Inspires

Hodgkinson's journey shows how patience and perseverance pay off. Despite setbacks from injuries in her first year as Olympic champion, she refused to rush her comeback or lower her ambitions.

Her focus on a 43-year-old record represents more than personal glory. Breaking it would cement her place among athletics' all-time greats and inspire countless young runners across Britain.

If the record doesn't fall in London, she'll have another shot at home soil during the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham this August. But Hodgkinson remains flexible, knowing the sport has its own plans.

"It is not something you can straight away plan and think 'let's do this,'" she said. "If I come into the shape where I think I want to go a bit sooner, or it happens to be a bit later in the season, that could just be how it goes."

One thing is certain: Britain will be watching and cheering when she steps onto the track this summer.