The 21-year-old enjoyed Wanda Diamond League victories in Birmingham, Eugene and Oslo in 2022. She went on to make the podium at all three major Championships that summer, finishing runner-up at both the World Championships in Eugene and Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, before winning a deserved gold at the European Championships in Munich.
Since she was announced in April for London, she has continued to impress with an 800m personal best and national record of 1:55.77 – the fastest time in the world this year to date - to win the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Paris, and finished runner-up in Lausanne.
She also retained her UK Athletics Championships 800m title with a stadium record of 1:58.26. Following that win in Manchester, she travelled to the European Under-23 Championships in Finland to “gain a bit of race practice at 400m.”
The result was an impressive bronze medal, her 800m strength paying off with a formidable finish that moved her from fifth up to third in a lifetime best of 51.76 – the first time she’s dipped under 52 seconds for the one-lap event. Her GB & NI teammate Yemi Mary John won a brilliant gold.
“I think I could have executed the race better,” said Hodgkinson post-race; “but I got the PB that I have been chasing for years. I’m happy to win another medal for Great Britain, and I really enjoyed the experience.”
It bodes well for London – and in turn Budapest.
Tickets for the London Athletics Meet are on sale now with the majority of those remaining priced at £23 per adult and £5 per child.
