In a stunning display of athletic prowess, British middle-distance sensation Keely Hodgkinson has etched her name into the history books by shattering the women’s indoor 800m world record. The 23-year-old Olympic champion clocked an astonishing 1:54.87 at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet in Liévin, France, on February 19, 2026, obliterating the previous mark of 1:55.82 set by Slovenia’s Jolanda Čeplak back in 2002. This feat not only marks one of the largest improvements in the event’s history but also comes with a poetic twist: the old record was set on the very day Hodgkinson was born.
The race, captured in a thrilling highlight video from World Athletics (available here), showcased Hodgkinson’s dominance from the gun. Under the new World Athletics rules, athletes stayed in their lanes for the first 150 meters, allowing Hodgkinson to explode off the start line and charge down the back straight. The pacemaker struggled to pull ahead as Hodgkinson maintained a relentless pace, hitting the 600m mark in a scorching 1:25.06—over a second and a half faster than the split from Čeplak’s record run. With pacing lights set ambitiously, Hodgkinson chased them down the final circuit, crossing the finish line in a time that left the crowd in awe and rewrote the record books.
This performance builds on Hodgkinson’s recent form. Just days earlier, at the UK Indoor Championships in Birmingham, she ran a solo 1:56.33, setting a new British indoor record and claiming third on the all-time indoor list. Her new world record time is remarkably close to her outdoor personal best of 1:54.61, signaling that she’s in peak condition heading into the 2026 season. As the defending Olympic gold medalist from Paris, Hodgkinson has overcome post-Olympic challenges to deliver this masterclass, joining triple jumper Jonathan Edwards as one of the few British athletes holding a current world record in a championship event.
Hodgkinson’s journey to this pinnacle has been marked by consistency and breakthroughs. A five-time global medalist, she previously set the indoor 600m world record in 2023 with 1:23.41. Her Liévin triumph sets the stage for the upcoming World Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland, where she’ll aim to add more hardware to her collection. “It was set on the day I was born—what’s more destiny than that?” Hodgkinson reflected on the record’s serendipity.
All-Time Indoor 800m Top List (Women)
| Rank | Athlete | Time | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) | 1:54.87 | 2026 | Liévin |
| 2 | Jolanda Čeplak (SLO) | 1:55.82 | 2002 | Vienna |
| 3 | Stefanie Graf (AUT) | 1:55.85 | 2002 | Vienna |
This record-breaking run not only highlights Hodgkinson’s exceptional talent but also promises an exciting year ahead in middle-distance running. With the outdoor world record of 1:53.28 (set by Jarmila Kratochvílová in 1983) now within striking distance, all eyes will be on the British star as she continues to push the boundaries of the sport.
Video Source: YouTube
