Keely Hodgkinson fought her way to a second-place finish against rival Audrey Werro at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, an incredible feat given she competed with a torn hamstring. Seriously, Hodgkinson showed up in Budapest after an injury that would sideline most athletes, and she still battled her way onto the podium.
Hodgkinson’s Heroics: Running Through the Pain
Can you believe the guts on Keely Hodgkinson? Less than a month ago, she tore her hamstring in the European Championship final, an injury so bad she had to miss Diamond League races in Zurich and Brussels. She even told BBC Sport it was “touch and go” if she’d make it to the World Athletics Ultimate Championship at all. But did that stop her? Absolutely not! The 24-year-old Olympic 800m champion didn’t just show up, she went out there and earned second place, clocking in at 1:56.26. She even overtook two-time world 400m hurdles champion Femke Broeders-Bol on the home straight for that silver. Hodgkinson said herself she’s “quite proud” of how she approached it, and honestly, she should be. Finishing second in the world with a torn hamstring? That’s just next-level toughness.
Werro’s Dominance and a Rivalry for the Ages
While Hodgkinson was battling her injury, 22-year-old Swiss sensation Audrey Werro was flat-out dominating. Werro controlled Saturday’s 800m race from start to finish, winning in an insane 1:55.88. This woman is making remarkable progress in her first season as a full-time athlete, and she’s not just winning races, she’s chasing history. Werro has run sub-1:54 three times this summer, closing in on Jarmila Kratochvilova’s 1983 record of 1:53.28. Think about that: 43 years had passed since a woman had run a sub-1:54 800m before this season, and Werro has done it three times! This rivalry with Hodgkinson and Broeders-Bol is straight fire, with Hodgkinson herself saying, “I honestly love it. I think it’s really great for our sport.” These three women always deliver enthralling action whenever they meet, and it’s been the race to watch all season. Hodgkinson walked away with $75,000 for her second-place finish, part of the record-breaking $10 million prize pot for the championship.
Hodgkinson is set to finish her season at Athlos next weekend. Given the season she’s had, and the raw courage she’s shown, you know she’s going to come out fighting. We’re all here for the next chapter in this incredible rivalry.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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