Keely Hodgkinson has delivered some of the fastest times of her career in the 2026 season but faces increasing competition from emerging rival Audrey Werro. The 24-year-old British athlete, reigning Olympic champion and a central figure for the upcoming European Championships in Birmingham, no longer enters as the clear favorite in the women’s 800 meters.
Hodgkinson’s season began with a standout performance in February when she broke the nearly 24-year-old world indoor 800m record in Liévin, France. At the time, she appeared poised to dominate the event once again. However, Werro, a 22-year-old Swiss athlete who finished second behind Hodgkinson in that race, quickly closed the gap. In June, Werro stunned the athletics world by running 1:53.98 in Stockholm— the third-fastest time ever recorded and a personal best nearly two seconds faster than before. This performance made Werro only the third woman to break the 1:54 barrier and the first since 1983. Hodgkinson, just behind with a personal best of 1:54.33, acknowledged the setback but remained focused on breaking the longstanding outdoor world record of 1:53.28 set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.
Hodgkinson’s ambitions for shattering the world record at the London Diamond League in July encountered difficulties after she suffered a fall prior to the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, resulting in cuts to her knees. She finished second there while Werro continued to improve, posting another sub-1:54 time in Paris. In London, Hodgkinson won the 800m race, edging out Femke Broeders-Bol, a former world champion in the 400m hurdles now transitioning to the 800m, but was still some distance from the world record pace. Hodgkinson described her feelings after the race as “mixed,” but British middle-distance runner Josh Kerr praised her consistency and continued presence at the top level.
Hodgkinson’s influence extends beyond the track. With a significant social media following and a BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, she has used her platform to advocate for athletics. Recently, she publicly challenged West Ham United amid reports that the football club might hinder a bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships at London Stadium. The bid was formally submitted this week, with Hodgkinson emphasizing the potential success for British athletics at the venue.
The past 18 months have been challenging for Hodgkinson, marked by hamstring injuries in 2025 that hindered her performance and limited her to bronze at the outdoor world championships behind training partner Georgia Hunter Bell. Determined to reclaim her top spot, Hodgkinson has focused her efforts on the European Championships, choosing to skip the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She views championship racing, with its multiple rounds over consecutive days and tactical demands, as a different test compared to circuit meets that emphasize fast times.
Birmingham’s 800m final on Friday is expected to be a key contest, with Hodgkinson needing to manage pressure and strategy against Werro and Broeders-Bol. The race will mark the first head-to-head meeting between Hodgkinson and Werro since Stockholm, providing both athletes a critical opportunity to assert supremacy on home soil.