Keely Hodgkinson’s 2026 season started with her breaking the 800m indoor world record. Her outdoor season, however, has been far from perfect. Instead, the 24-year-old has been outshone by Audrey Werro, with injuries playing a big role. In fact, after her latest withdrawal from the Diamond League final, the Briton’s hopes of competing at the World Athletics Championships were in doubt. That was until a fresh report revealed that the reigning 800m Olympic champion is fit and raring to go.

On September 7, Australian sports broadcaster and track-and-field journalist Mitch Dyer shared a major update on X. Dyer, who had previously reported that Hodgkinson would not compete in Budapest, admitted that his information had been incorrect. “Well, it’s good news for Budapest after all,” Dyer wrote. “Happy to see myself be wrong on this one, and apologies for being incorrect with my information.”

He then revealed that M11 head coach @Faster_feet had confirmed that Hodgkinson will be contesting Budapest. The update is particularly important after Hodgkinson’s recent run of setbacks and withdrawals, which had left her participation in serious doubt. 

Her hamstring has been a recurring issue for the 24-year-old and one she had hoped was behind her after her ordeal last year. The distance runner missed most of the 2025 season after tearing her hamstring and returned only in mid-August. The injury affected her preparations for the World Championships, where the favorite for 800m gold could only manage bronze.

However, 2026 had been kind to her at first. Hodgkinson won gold at the World Indoor Championships and broke the 800m indoor record. Her training for the outdoor season was also going superbly, with her coach Trevor Painter overjoyed at her progress. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone to plan since then, with a series of injuries affecting her season.

The first clear hamstring scare of Hodgkinson’s 2026 season came on June 21 at the UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham. She was preparing for the 400m final when she stopped during her warm-up and withdrew from the race. Her coach Jenny Meadows explained that Hodgkinson had felt tightness in her hamstring. A physiotherapist subsequently assessed her, and Hodgkinson was not considered seriously injured.

She then suffered a separate knee problem after tripping on a metal grate in late June. Hodgkinson recovered from the issue and returned to competition in August. However, she was unable to beat Werro in the European Championship 800m final. The Swiss star won gold in 1:54.81, while Hodgkinson finished second in 1:55.01.

After the European Championships, Hodgkinson’s fitness became a concern once again. She was due to race Werro at the Zurich Diamond League on August 27 but withdrew from the meeting. Hodgkinson explained that her body was not quite ready to race again after the European Championships.

Those concerns grew when Hodgkinson also withdrew from the Diamond League Final in Brussels on September 5. Reports subsequently pointed to a recurring hamstring concern as the reason for her absence. 

With Budapest approaching and her participation now confirmed, another question takes center stage: can Hodgkinson return to racing and finally get the better of Werro?

Audrey Werro emerges as Hodgkinson’s biggest rival ahead of Budapest

The rivalry really began at the Stockholm Diamond League on June 7. Werro produced a stunning 1:53.98 to beat Hodgkinson, while the Briton still set a new British record of 1:54.33. It was the first time Werro had defeated the Olympic champion, and the way she did it made the result even more impressive. Hodgkinson had moved ahead of Werro early in the second lap and appeared to have control of the race.

Werro, however, produced a powerful finish over the final 200 meters and surged past her rival. Werro’s Stockholm victory was not a one-off. She followed it with another performance in Paris, running 1:53.80 and further establishing herself as one of the fastest 800m runners in history. Suddenly, Hodgkinson had a new rival capable of matching her at the highest level.

The rivalry reached another major chapter at the European Championships in Birmingham on August 14. Hodgkinson and Werro lined up against each other again, and once more it was the Swiss runner who came out on top. Werro won European gold in 1:54.81, while Hodgkinson finished second in 1:55.01. The result gave Werro two major victories over Hodgkinson in the same season.

Their European Championship meeting was also surrounded by drama. Werro had fallen during her semifinal and initially appeared to have been eliminated from the competition. She was later reinstated following an appeal, allowing her to line up against Hodgkinson in the final. She then took advantage of that second chance by beating the British star for the second time that season.

While Werro continued racing and winning, Hodgkinson’s season took a different turn by withdrawing from events. That meant Werro continued building momentum while Hodgkinson was forced to watch from the sidelines. Werro then added another major victory to her season at the Diamond League Final in Brussels on September 5. She clocked 1:54.75 to defeat Femke Bol by 0.06 seconds and claim another big win.

Hodgkinson was not there to challenge her. Now, however, the Olympic champion is reportedly set to return in Budapest.