Just moments before the women’s 400m final at the UK Athletics Championships on June 21, Keely Hodgkinson withdrew from the race. With the Olympic champion visibly emotional as she exited, concerns grew that she could have suffered an injury. Soon after, Hodgkinson’s coach confirmed that Keely had felt “a little twinge.” Now, nearly 2  weeks later, Hodgkinson has opened up about the real reason behind her dramatic last-minute withdrawal.

As she prepares for the 2026 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, Hodgkinson reassured fans that there is no new serious injury concern during a pre-race press conference on July 3. The British middle-distance star explained: “I felt a little tightness in my leg, and given my history of my hamstrings last year, I just wasn’t willing to risk it. But I’m all good.”

Hodgkinson’s worry follows a frustrating campaign in 2025, which was marred by a hamstring injury. The Olympic gold medalist was preparing for her first time in the Keely Klassic in February 2025 when she was set to attempt Jolanda Čeplak’s world record for the indoor 800m. Disaster befell her during her final training session when she tore her hamstring, forcing her to drop out of the competition two days before it began.

The injury caused problems for her all summer. Hodgkinson was expected to return to the competition in June 2025 at the Stockholm Diamond League, but was forced to pull out again due to the same concern during her recovery. She then missed the London Diamond League too, opting to wait until she felt well enough to get back on the track.

It was finally August 2025 when she came back to the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Poland. Hodgkinson made it count almost straight out of the gate with an 800m win in 1:54.74, the fastest time in the world that season and the second fastest of her career.  The painful event was not long forgotten when she went to the UK Athletics Championships to run the 400m.

The race was intended as part of her preparation for the 800m season, but the slightest concern around her hamstring was enough to make her step away rather than risk another lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The 2024 Olympic gold medalist revealed that she completed a training session later that week without any issues. “It was completely fine.” She added, “I think when you’re an athlete, and you suffer bad injuries, you can underestimate a little bit of the trauma it leaves in your head.”

The Briton noted that racing the 400m has always carried an added risk for her body, particularly during a busy competition schedule. “Doing the 400 for me, for my body, it’s always been a bit of a risk. It’s something I like to do. It’s fun. But doing those back-to-back days, my mind was here [gesturing to her hamstring] and not here [gesturing forward],” she added. “I didn’t feel like I was going to put together my best.”

Looking back on her dramatic withdrawal, Hodgkinson laughed about the timing of the decision. “That kind of explains my life sometimes.” With the injury concerns now behind her, Hodgkinson turns her attention to the women’s 800m at the Prefontaine Classic, with one major goal.

Keely Hodgkinson set to face strong challengers at Prefontaine Classic

Keely Hodgkinson is still chasing the world record and enters the meet after lowering her British record to 1:54.33 at the Stockholm Diamond League 2026. Among the biggest threats will be reigning world champion Lilian Odira, who owns a personal best of 1:54.62. French record-holder Anaïs Bourgoin is also in the field after running 1:55.65, while NCAA champion Sanu Jallow-Lockhart arrives with a personal best of 1:56.85.

Hodgkinson will also have one eye on Swiss star Audrey Werro, who defeated her in Stockholm and has since continued her remarkable rise. Werro followed her 1:53.98 performance in Sweden with a stunning 1:53.80 victory in Paris, making her the third-fastest woman in history over the distance behind only Jarmila Kratochvílová and Nadezhda Olizarenko.

After seeing Werro move closer to the long-standing world record, Hodgkinson now has her own opportunity in Eugene to make a statement and continue her pursuit of one of athletics’ most coveted marks.