Keely Hodgkinson breaks down in tears as nightmare injury means she can’t break longstanding world record
HEARTBROKEN Keely Hodgkinson says she “shed a tear” as a serious hamstring issue denied her the chance to break a longstanding world record in athletics.
And Team GB’s Golden Girl is now a doubt for the rest of the indoor season, ending her chances of a Track Treble this year.
Hodgkinson, 22, had planned to run the quickest time over 800 metres indoors at her inaugural Keely Klassic at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The current best time of 1:55.82 was set by Slovenian Jolanda Ceplak at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Vienna on March 3, 2022 – the day Hodgkinson was born.
Yet reigning Olympic champion Hodgkinson experienced soreness in her hamstring following a training session on Wednesday.
And a scan has since revealed a significant problem that means she will be unable to race this weekend, while also raising questions about her ability to compete again this winter.
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She said: "I’m so gutted and disappointed to be announcing this.
";I’m devastated to be missing the launch of the first Keely Klassic.
"Me and my team worked so hard these last couple of months to put me in a perfect position to race, and I was so excited to perform in front of a home crowd.
"I won’t lie – when I got the news this afternoon, I shed a tear.
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"I’ve worked so hard for this moment and was in the best shape of my life. I’m absolutely gutted that I won’t be able to race for the fans.
"Especially after so many have bought tickets to see me try and break the world record.
"But this event was never just about me – it was always about showcasing British talent, creating something new for the sport, and bringing more energy and entertainment to athletics.
"That’s something I’m committed to for the long term.
"I’ll be in Birmingham on Saturday doing everything I can to make sure it’s an amazing night for the athletes and the fans."
It appears likely she will miss the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Holland between March 6-9 but the target for a return is the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing in China between March 21-23.
Before the injury announcement dropped, the BBC had come under fire for deciding not to showcase the event on their main channels, squirrelling it away on the iPlayer.