At some point this winter, Keely Hodgkinson stopped just racing and started collecting records. On Sunday in Glasgow, she added a 400m personal best to a season that is beginning to feel almost unfair.
The 23-year-old British Olympic champion ran 51.49 seconds to win the women’s invitational at the Scottish Athletics Indoor Invitational at the Emirates Arena — a time that beats her previous indoor mark of 52.42 and, for good measure, her outdoor best of 51.61 too. An outright lifetime PB, at a distance she hadn’t raced indoors since 2022.
This came two weeks after she broke the world indoor 800m record in Liévin, France, running 1:54.87 on February 19. Before that, she ran 1:56.33 to set the British indoor record. She turns 24 on Tuesday. The World Indoor Championships begin on March 20.
It’s been a busy few weeks.
“It’s been fun, exciting. I was excited to come and do a 400m here,” she said to European Athletics. “I haven’t been able to do a 400m for a good two years due to injuries so it was a good day to complete one — and a good time to come with it. Sometimes constantly doing 800s can get a bit much.”
Living Off the Expectation
Hodgkinson started from lane five and led from 200m out, pulling clear in the closing straight. Louisa Stoney finished second in 52.37, with Tess McHugh running a personal best of 52.48 for third. The result was never really in doubt.
After the world record in Liévin, coach Trevor Painter gave her two days off. She went for an easy run and could barely process it.
“I did a run two days after that world record and I just thought: ‘How the hell did I do that? I felt like s***!'” she laughed.
She has since processed it just fine. The World Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland represent her first crack at a world title — she’s been sidelined by injury at every previous attempt — and she’s arriving as the clear favourite. She is not pretending otherwise.
“To go in as a favourite is amazing,” she said. “I’m privileged and enjoying being in this position. I like living off the expectation.”
There is even talk of her doubling up on the relay. She is reportedly keen to run on the British 4x400m team — a relay final scheduled just 45 minutes after the 800m final on the last day of competition.
“Put me on the second leg!” she grinned.
That kind of confidence is earned. Her sprint training has clearly been paying dividends — she’s not just the best 800m runner in the world right now, she’s running 400m times that would make dedicated quarter-milers nervous. On the outdoor calendar, she confirmed the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham (August 10–16) as her main summer goal, and will skip the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Go Keely! Big fan of yours. Wish you all the best on the track and in life.
Really hope for that 1:52 to happen!