Injury forces Olympic champion Hodgkinson out of 800m record bid in own race

Olympic 800 metres champion Keely Hodgkinson has been forced to abandon a world record attempt this weekend after the British middle-distance star withdrew from her own event, the Keely Klassic, with a hamstring injury. 

Hodgkinson felt soreness on Wednesday following her final training session before the race event and a scan revealed an issue ruling her out of Saturday’s indoor event in Birmingham, central England .

She had been aiming to break Jolanda Ceplak’s women’s indoor 800m world record, which has stood for 23 years — longer than the 22-year-old Hodgkinson has been alive.

Uncertainty now surrounds the timing of Hodgkinson’s return to the track, although she still hopes to be fit for the World Indoor Championships in the Chinese city of Nanjing in March.

This weekend’s race would have been Hodgkinson’s first competitive event since she won gold at last year’s Paris Olympics. 

“I won’t lie, when I got the news this afternoon, I shed a tear,” said Hodgkinson in a social media post published Thursday.

“I’ve worked so hard for this moment and was in the best shape of my life. I’m absolutely gutted that I won’t be able to race for the fans, especially after so many have bought tickets to see me try and break the world record.”

Hodgkinson, however, still plans to be in attendance in Birmingham to support other athletes.

“This event was never just about me — it was always about showcasing British talent, creating something new for the sport, and bringing more energy and entertainment to athletics,” she added. “That’s something I’m committed to for the long term.

“I’ll be in Birmingham on Saturday doing everything I can to make sure it’s an amazing night for the athletes and the fans.”