Keely Hodgkinson concluded her 2026 season with a commanding victory in the 800 metres at the Athlos meet held in London on Friday. The 24-year-old Olympic champion not only impressed with her performance but also attracted attention for her distinctive race attire—a full-length, black, hooded speed suit developed in collaboration with Nike.
Hodgkinson’s win marked her second consecutive Athlos 800m title, having previously triumphed at the 2025 event in New York City. She finished the London race in 1:56.40, pulling away from the field over the final 200 metres with a margin of more than two seconds. The event at StoneX Stadium was the first Athlos competition held outside the United States, featuring a streamlined format with no qualifying rounds in each discipline and prize money extending from the winner to sixth place, including a substantial bonus for breaking world records.
The innovative catsuit, described by Hodgkinson as “a mixture of fashion, speed, and science,” was designed for optimal aerodynamics and lightweight comfort. She said the outfit “feels like I’m wearing nothing” and highlighted its open-backed design, which she chose to combine functionality with a sleek, confident aesthetic. Hodgkinson noted that the suit had been a year-long project involving multiple fittings and testing, including training in high temperatures during a camp in South Africa.
Hodgkinson’s attire drew comparisons to the iconic green and white suit worn by Cathy Freeman at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. While she was aware that keeping her hair loose might slightly increase drag, she opted not to alter her look, emphasizing personal comfort over technical considerations. Her training partner Georgia Hunter Bell, who also competed at Athlos, described the suit as a “big statement piece” and suggested it could become a common choice for athletes by the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The London Athlos event attracted several top athletes, including Switzerland’s Audrey Werro and Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska, who edged out Hunter Bell in a close finish in the women’s mile. American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who won the 100 metres in 10.80 seconds, commented that the event’s expansion to London signaled growing global recognition for Athlos, which is designed to showcase women’s athletics with a focus on entertainment and prize incentives.
Hodgkinson entered the race with recent struggles, having sustained a rare hamstring split tendon injury earlier in the season at the European Championships in Birmingham. Despite this, she showed no sign of limitation on the track and expressed enthusiasm about the event’s atmosphere. She described Athlos as “fun” and celebrated its emphasis on visibility for women’s sports.
The £48,500 prize and a specially designed crown by Tiffany & Co added to a memorable finale for Hodgkinson’s season, highlighting both her athletic prowess and the evolving intersection of sportswear innovation and performance.