Olympic champion confident of beating Jolanda Ceplak’s 1:55.82 from 2002 in Lievin on Thursday and “welcomes competition” from Audrey Werro and Tsige Duguma.
Twenty-four hours before taking to the track at Lievin to attack the world indoor 800m record, Keely Hodgkinson looked relaxed and confident at the pre-event press conference. With Jolanda Ceplak’s 2002 mark of 1:55.82 as her target, she said: “I think it’s mine to take so I’m looking forward to giving it a go.”
Hodgkinson is fresh from setting a British record of 1:56.33 in Birmingham on Saturday. “It was good to have a run out before this week as I’ve not raced indoors for three years,” she said. “I didn’t mean to go that fast which probably shows I’m in a really good place.”
In Lievin on Thursday evening she will face, among others, Audrey Werro of Switzerland and Tsigie Duguma of Ethiopia. Werro held the 2026 world lead until last weekend whereas Duguma won the world indoor title in 2024 and was runner-up to Hodgkinson at the Paris Olympics.
“I’ll do what I do and focus on my own race,” said Hodgkinson, adding with a smile that she didn’t want to give her race strategy away. “I’m sure they all have their own plans too.
“I think it will be a fun and exciting race and I’m happy to have these girls in it as we can push each other and that’s when you get really competitive races and fast times.
“I welcome the competition.”
Jarmila Kratochvila’s long-standing outdoor world record of 1:53.28 continues to haunt Hodgkinson as well and the Czech athlete’s 1983 performance might be in the Briton’s mind when she takes to the Lievin track.
“When I line up I always try to run as fast as possible and I’m definitely in the shape to run a fast time,” she said. “I also think it’s not just about the world (indoor) record but seeing how fast we can really go, especially at this time of year and on an indoor track.”
Hodgkinson also believes the new start in the 800m indoors, where athletes break for the inside lane later than they did previously will also suit her when it comes to running as fast as possible. She explains: “The new start is definitely faster than the old one and I really like that. It gives us more time to not being on top of each other. We have 150m in lanes instead of 100m and I don’t know why we didn’t do it sooner to be honest.”
MORE: Kratochvilova’s immortal world record
What would breaking a world record mean to her? “I think it would be just nice to have one. And it’s a marker that’s achievable. It was also set on the day I was born which is a bit weird but I like that stat and I think it’s mine to take so I’m looking forward to giving it a go.”
She added: “There are no limits really and I’m learning this every year as I get stronger. These 1:54s and 1:55s are becoming more regular and the standard is getting higher and higher and I can definitely see some great things in the future and hopefully I’ve still got another 10 years in me.”
READ MORE: Keely takes aim at Ceplak’s 800m record
Following Lievin, Hodgkinson will race over 400m in the build-up to the World Indoor Championships in Poland next month. “It will be nice as I’ve not done one for two years,” she says.
Then, on the World Indoors itself, she adds: “I’ve never actually done a World Indoor Champs despite trying three times to make it there. I hope to pick up my first world title to add to my collection and look forward to doing it in Europe.”