Keely Hodgkinson makes huge statement after a year on the sidelines
Keely Hodgkinson made a winning return to action at the Diamond League in Poland in her first race since the Paris Olympics.
The 23-year-old Olympic champion was back in action following a 376-day absence and showed she has put her hamstring issues behind her by setting a new 800 metres meeting record of one minute and 54.74 seconds.
Hodgkinson sustained a hamstring injury in February before the Keely Klassic and her return was delayed by a number of setbacks.
But the Great Britain athlete made a statement ahead of next month's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Hodgkinson finished clear of Lilian Odira from Kenya and Botswana's Oratile Nowe in Silesia with the second fastest time of her career, just 0.13 seconds off her personal best.
"That was so much fun. It's amazing, I really wanted to have this opportunity," said Hodgkinson, who is trained by Wigan duo Trevor Painter and his wife, Jenny Meadows.
"I don't have much time to get ready for the Worlds, so I have to put something down.
“The track here is very fast. I wanted to open my season today, I was ready and it worked.
“There was a period of time where I didn’t know if I would be able to make it back for this season.
“So now that we have, I just want to enjoy everything. I don’t want to waste an opportunity. I’m just happy to be back.
“I was just happy to step on the track after more than a year. But as I got closer to the race I got more and more relaxed.
“I wanted to open when I was ready, not when everyone thinks I should open… Some people may have thought I was a bit delusional to go that fast, but sometimes you need to be a bit delusional.
"I don’t have five races before Worlds — I’ve got two. So it was about making the most of the opportunity.
“Lausanne on Wednesday will probably be a bit of a different challenge and then I’ll be heading off to Tokyo. Just excited to build and see how fast we can go.”