Keely Hodgkinson wins 800m heat in Birmingham with 1min 57.28sec, wears sunglasses for first time in a race
Keely Hodgkinson won her opening 800m heat at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham on August 11, 2026, recording 1min 57.28sec while easing down. She admitted she wore sunglasses for the first time in a race and joked about the reason afterwards.
Hodgkinson’s 1min 57.28sec was her fastest time in a heat and, she said, suggested she is in strong condition ahead of a potential meeting with Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol in the final on Friday night. The 800m Olympic champion relaxed visibly in the opening round and combined a quick pace with apparent reserve for the rounds to come. “It’s sunny out there,” she joked. “I’m just trying not to get wrinkles and stop the need for Botox too early.”
Describing how the race felt, Hodgkinson said: “I felt really good. I think that’s the fastest I’ve ever run in a heat. But I could feel the girls pushing on my shoulder. And, to be honest, running at that kind of pace is a bit more in keeping with my training, so it actually felt kind of nice. I had to slow myself down a bit. But I’ve got a day off now before the semi-final and I feel good.”
She revealed she arrived in Birmingham after running a personal best in a session at a training camp in Portugal that she and her coach, Trevor Painter, use to gauge her fitness before major championships. “Portugal went really well,” she said. “I’m really happy and just excited to showcase where I’m at and hopefully have the performance I know I’m capable of. It’s always all about medals. They create legacy. This will hopefully be my fifth back-to-back title.”
Audrey Werro also produced a fast heat, stopping the clock at 1:57.83, while Femke Broeders-Bol posted 1:59.96 as she continues to transition from the 400m hurdles. Werro’s performance followed her victory over Hodgkinson in Stockholm in June, which the report described as the third fastest time in history.
Werro commented on the championship atmosphere and the pressure of being a favourite, saying: “It’s always like all other championships. It’s true that there are a lot of people here for her, but I think there are also a lot of Swiss people, so it’s a bit of a balance. It’s really great to be here at the European championships and I am expecting great things. It’s a bit different because at the other championships I was never the best, the favourite athlete, and now it’s a little bit more pressure. But I think I can take this pressure and transform it to a positive thing. It gives me a lot of confidence to know I can run fast.”
Next up for Hodgkinson is Thursday’s semi-final; she said she has a day off before that race. If she progresses to the final on Friday night she joked she will not be wearing the sunglasses then: “No, it’s going to be nearly 10pm and I want to see everything,” she laughed.