Keely Hodgkinson ran with the weight of Great Britain’s expectations on her shoulders but still emerged Olympic 800m champion at Stade de France.
The Wigan world silver medallist was the heavy favourite heading not just into Monday night’s final but well ahead of these Games, setting a world-leading time of 1:54.61 just over two weeks before what had increasingly started to feel like a dance with destiny.
On a clear Monday evening in Paris she was calm and collected, moving up from fifth to first entering the final lap and cruised across the line in 1:56.72.
Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma surged to silver in 1:57.15, while Kenya’s world champion Mary Moraa collected bronze.
Three summers ago in Tokyo, a then 19-year-old Hodgkinson stormed to a surprise silver, breaking a British record set by Dame Kelly Holmes for 26 years.
A new Olympic champion was always guaranteed after Hodgkinson’s biggest rival, American Athing Mu, fell in the United States trials and did not qualify.
Since Tokyo Hodgkinson had finished runner-up at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and back-to-back World Championships, but claimed two European tiles.
The silver streak came to an end on Monday, when the Manchester United fan became the first British woman to win an Olympic 800m title since Holmes reached the top of the podium in Athens 20 years ago – not long after 22-year-old Hodgkinson was born.
Hodgkinson seals first Olympic gold: As it happened
09:46 PM BST
Hodgkinson and Duplantis take glory
A great night for this man:
And a memorable night for GB’s Keely Hodgkinson:
09:41 PM BST
More from Hodgkinson speaking to BBC
“I had a little cheeky look up to the screen to make sure but you can’t do anything until you have crossed the line and it is cemented. I am now the Olympic champion for the next four years and no one can take that away from me. I just can’t believe it.”
On being confident in the build up:
“Yes I have really grown over the last couple of years and this year was the year where you could really tell that I had tried to make that step up.
“The rest of the girls are incredible but I knew that today I had to go one better than I ever had. I feel like I have and there is more there and I am so pleased to do it today. The future is bright.”
On support everywhere:
“I have seen all the support from home and people messaging me. I’ve not got back to everyone yet, I will do. I have seen it all and it couldn’t feel more amazing to have that support. I am just so happy I can bring that home for me and my team.
“It is not just me, my people know who they are, it is a whole team effort. This is our gold medal.”
09:39 PM BST
Ringing the winner’s bell
09:34 PM BST
Amazing finale to pole vault
“I withdraw all previous accusations about the disappointing end to the pole vaulting. Duplantis had gold in the bag but reckoned he could have a crack at adding a centimetre to his world record. Maximum drama when he pulled it off on his third and final attempt and a spectacular moment to witness. No noise like a broken world record noise, a sort of otherworldly high pitched screamed cheer. Sounded like 70,000 saying “Wow!” simultaneously. A superb end to the night.”
09:30 PM BST
‘Life changes when you win Olympic gold’
Someone who knows all about becoming Olympic champion is Jessica Ennis-Hill, so she is well-placed to give Team GB’s newest Olympic champion some advice on how to cope with your life changing after Olympic success.
09:27 PM BST
Top three in the pole vault
09:18 PM BST
Duplantis sets new world record
He has done it! He failed at the first two attempts but with the gold medal already sealed, he breaks his own world record to now set it at 6.25. The stadium erupts. No-one had left after the 800m final and they are rewarded for staying seeing history being made.
09:16 PM BST
Noah Lyles picks up gold
He won an incredible gold medal in the men’s 100m final last night in an amazing race. Now he has his hands on his first Olympic gold.
09:13 PM BST
Hodgkinson speaking to BBC
09:12 PM BST
Denise Lewis on BBC
“Keely Hodgkinson was ready for it, she had to race smart. She didn’t shake her opponents until the very end.
“It was so tense, but she delivered, she ran the race that suited her and ended up taking it by the scruff of the neck because she knew she had to.
“To hear those words, Olympic champion, when it rings through her ears, that feeling, that moment. That will live on forever in her head.
“It is that feeling of relief. She had to be smart. That feeling is just so sweet, it’s so amazing.”
09:11 PM BST
Gold for Hodgkinson
09:10 PM BST
Michael Johnson on BBC
“The best athletes figure out how to manage that moment of pressure before the race. Keely’s maturation over the last few years, getting to major championships, getting silver medals, she has been very consistent.
“People have out performed her in the past but she didn’t allow herself to out-perform herself mentally and put herself out of the podium. When that happens and you are consistently there, you prepare yourselves to take moments like these.”
09:06 PM BST
12th gold at the Games for Team GB
09:06 PM BST
Jessica Ennis-Hill on BBC
“I am literally shaking, I am blown away.
“Keely Hodgkinson is the most incredible woman, human being but athlete as well. I’m so happy for her, she absolutely deserves every moment.
“To see her coach Trevor, to see her coach Jenny, her physio Ollie Rose, all those people who have been around her from the very start nurturing her and helping her to be the best that she can be when it really matters.
“She has delivered, she has delivered with all that pressure.”
09:05 PM BST
Queen Keely
09:02 PM BST
Emotion hits
09:01 PM BST
The winning moment
08:58 PM BST
Crossing the finish line to take your first Olympic gold
08:57 PM BST
Delivering as the favourite
08:50 PM BST
Gold for Hodgkinson
She does it! Her first Olympic gold medal and she is in tears. She led it out from an early stage and never relinquished that lead. Moraa dropped to third as Ethiopia’s Duguma came through to take silver.
Great Britain’s first gold in the athletics at Paris 2024.
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Keely Hodgkinson (Great Britain) 1:56.72
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Tsige Duguma (Ethiopia) 1:57.15
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Mary Moraa (Kenya) 1:57.42
08:50 PM BST
100m to go
They are coming down the home straight and it is Hodgkinson vs Moraa.
08:49 PM BST
200m to go
Hodgkinson is leading out from the front but Moraa is right on her shoulder.
08:49 PM BST
400m to go
Hodgkinson is in a good position with one lap remaining. Kenya’s Moraa is on her shoulder as the bell rings…
08:48 PM BST
Women’s 800m final
Off they go…
08:48 PM BST
Hush in the Stade de France
The final race of the night and a quiet descends inside the stadium. Will Keely Hodgkinson win her first Olympic gold medal?
08:45 PM BST
Women’s 800m final starting list
Lane two- Juliette Whittaker (USA)
Lane three- Worknesh Mesele (Ethiopia)
Lane four- Shafiqua Maloney (St Vincent and the Grenadines)
Lane five- Keely Hodgkinson (Great Britain)
Lane six- Prudence Sekgodiso (South Africa)
Lane seven- Mary Moraa (Kenya)
Lane eight- Renelle Lamote (France)
Lane nine- Tsige Duguma (Ethiopia)
GB’s Keely Hodgkinson is favourite for gold. Can she go one step better than she did in Tokyo and take the gold medal?
08:44 PM BST
Duplantis wins gold
The Swede has now won back-to-back gold medals in the men’s pole vault, as if it was in any doubt. He then keeps going and sets a new Olympic record at 6.10. Duplantis is going to continue to see if he can break his own world record. Sam Kendricks of the USA takes silver and Emmanouil Karalis of Greece takes bronze.
“Slightly disappointing end to the pole vault competition, which Duplantis wins after the American Sam Kendricks fails with his final attempt to get over at 6.00. Duplantis is going to have a go at 6.10 though, which would clinch him the Olympic record. Competitors coming out for the 800m final. All eyes on lane five and Keely Hodgkinson.”
08:43 PM BST
Allman defends discus title
The women’s discus has just concluded and American Valarie Allman has taken gold with a best of 69.50. China’s Bin Feng takes silver, Croatia’s Sandra Elkasevic bronze.
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Valarie Allman (USA)
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Bin Feng (China)
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Sandra Elkasevic (Croatia)
08:34 PM BST
Into the final round of women’s discuss
Just one more throw left for each competitor and it is defending champion Valarie Allman who still leads on 69.50, which she threw in round four.
08:30 PM BST
Kenya win women’s 5000m final
It is a battle down the home straight between two Kenyans; Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet. Kipyegon tries to hold on but Chebet comes past to take gold. Silver for Kipyegon and bronze for the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, who is running the 5000, 10000 and marathon at these Games. However Kipyegon will not win the silver medal as she has been disqualified for obstruction. That promotes Hassan to silver and Italy’s Nadia Battocletti into bronze.
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Beatrice Chebet (Kenya) 14:28.56
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Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) 14:30.61
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Nadia Battocletti (Italy) 14:31.64
08:29 PM BST
Final lap of women’s 5000m
Just 400m remain as Kenya’s Kipyegon goes to the front. Still all the big hitters remaining…
08:25 PM BST
Closing stages of the pole vault
More competitors are falling by the wayside and we are down to our final three; Armand Duplantis (Sweden), Sam Kendricks (USA) and Emmanouil Karalis (Greece). Duplantis and Kendricks both cleared 5.95 whereas Karalis failed his first attempt at that height. As he is now guaranteed a medal, Karalis has opted to pass to the next height. As it stands Duplantis has had just two attempts, successfully at 5.85 and 5.95.
08:19 PM BST
Women’s discus
At the halfway stage the defending champion Valarie Allman leads the way after a throw of 68.74 in the second round. China’s Bin Feng is second and Croatia’s Sandra Elkasevic is third, both though have thrown the same distance. At the halfway stage the bottom four have been knocked out.
08:15 PM BST
Women’s 5000m final
The top four in the world rankings are all in the final:
1- Beatrice Chebet (Kenya)
2- Gudaf Tsegay (Ethiopia)
3- Ejgayehu Taye (Ethiopia)
4- Medina Eisa (Ethiopia)
Three of the top four in the world are Ethiopian. 5,000m and 10,000m Tokyo gold medallist Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands is also in the final as is two-time 1500m gold medallist Faith Kipyegon on Kenya.
Off they go.
08:11 PM BST
Men’s pole vault
Duplantis and USA’s Sam Kendricks have both cleared 5.95. Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis has failed his first attempt at that height. Only six competitors remain.
08:07 PM BST
Brown takes final semi-final, Neita second
The final semi-final is won by the USA’s Brittany Brown, ahead of GB’s Daryll Neita. Here are the eight who will contest the final tomorrow night:
Gabby Thomas
Julien Alfred
Favour Ofili
Brittany Brown
Daryll Neita
Dina Asher-Smith
McKenzie Long
Jessika Gbai
“Impressive showing from Daryll Neita, although another Brit finishing behind an American. Two for Team GB in the final, but not Bianca Williams. Meanwhile we’re reaching the business end of the pole vault. Quite amazing how comfortably Armand Duplantis has cleared everything so far. Would be a miracle if he is beaten.”
08:03 PM BST
Starting list for third women’s 200m semi-finals
Lane two- Olivia Fotopoulou (Cyprus)
Lane three- Torrie Lewis (Australia)
Lane four- Julia Henriksson (Sweden)
Lane five- Gina Mariam Bass Bitaye (Gambia)
Lane six- Daryll Neita (Great Britain)
Lane seven- Brittany Brown (USA)
Lane eight- Jessika Gbai (Ivory Coast)
Lane nine- Lanae-Tava Thomas (Jamaica)
07:57 PM BST
Gabby Thomas wins second semi-final, Asher-Smith also through
A comfortable victory for the American in 21.86 and proving why she is one of the favourites for the gold medal. The former Harvard student finishes well clear of GB’s Dina Asher-Smith in second, with France’s Helene Parisot setting a new personal best to take third. She will have to wait until after the final semi-final to see if she will reach the final. Parisot’s time means that Bianca Williams has no chance of making the final.
“It was a visibly strong start from Dina Asher-Smith, despite the 200m blocks being the other side of the stadium to the press seats. She looked well place going into the straight but Gabby Thomas found a devastating extra gear to turn a race into a procession. But Asher-Smith is safely into the final, so job very much done.”
07:53 PM BST
Women’s 200m semi-final two
Lane two- Polyniki Emmanouilidou (Greece)
Lane three- Jacqueline Madogo (Canada)
Lane four- Mujinga Kambundji (Switzerland)
Lane five- Helene Parisot (France)
Lane six- Niesha Burgher (Jamaica)
Lane seven- Dina Asher-Smith (Great Britain)
Lane eight- Gabrielle Thomas (USA)
Lane nine- Tasa Jiya (Netherlands)
07:50 PM BST
Pole vault and discus
The numbers are whittling down as we are down to the last eight. World record holder Duplantis has safely passed the 5.85 height with consummate ease.
Over in the women’s discus final world number one Valarie Allman of the USA failed at her first attempt. China’s Bin Feng leads after round one after a throw of 66.33 metres.
07:47 PM BST
Julien Alfred wins first women’s 200m semi-final
The new 100m Olympic champion takes it in a time of 21.98 ahead of Nigeria’s Favour Ofili. GB’s Bianca Williams is fourth and will have to wait and see whether she qualifies as a fastest loser, although that will be unlikely.
“A season best of 22.58 in the first 200m semi for Bianca Williams, but she will need the third and fourth placed finishers in both of the forthcoming semis to run slower than her to have any shot of the final. Williams out-performed her world ranking in that race by finishing fourth though, four of her opponents have a higher world ranking than her. Julien Alfred, the 100m champ, looking good for a double gold with her 21.98. Like Lyles she visibly slowed for the final steps.”
07:44 PM BST
Women’s 200m semi-finals
Here they come for the first of three semi-finals. The starting list for the first semi-final:
Lane two- Adaejah Hodge (British Virgin Islands)
Lane three- Maboundou Kone (Ivory Coast)
Lane four- Gemima Joseph (France)
Lane five- Audrey Leduc (Canada)
Lane six- Favour Ofili (Nigeria)
Lane seven- Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia)
Lane eight- McKenzie Long (USA)
Lane nine- Bianca Williams (Great Britain)
The new Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred is in action in semi-final one. The top two from each semi to go through, two fastest losers as well. The final is tomorrow night.
07:37 PM BST
Men’s 200m and women’s discus
New 100m Olympic champion Noah Lyles wins the final heat in 20.19, ahead of Canada’s Andre De Grasse. Lyles was taking that easy in the closing stages. The fastest time of the heats was USA’s Kenneth Bednarek in heat four with a time of 19.96.
The women’s discus final is just getting started, with world number one Valerie Allman of the USA and world number two Bin Feng of China in action.
“Lorra love for Noah Lyles this evening as he comes off his block to blow kisses at his adoring public. Andre De Grasse, world number five, should have given him a healthy test for in that 200m heat but after Lyles’ trademark non-brilliant start he eased away and slowed up significantly by the end. More to come from him but into the semis with a fair bit to spare.”
07:22 PM BST
Pole vault
Duplantis, having made 5.70, has passed at 5.80. One of his man rivals, EJ Obiena took one attempt at 5.80, failed and has now passed onto 5.90. The Netherlands’ Menno Vloon is out having failed all three attempts at 5.80.
07:13 PM BST
Men’s 200m
In heat three South Africa’s Benjamin Richardson pulls his hamstring as he comes down the home straight and he was in a decent position with around 80m to go. He does make it to the finish line, but around 30 seconds behind the winner of that heat, which was Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo.
In the next heat, GB’s Zharnel Hughes was supposed to be racing but has withdrawn due to an hamstring injury. The heat is won by USA’s Kenneth Bednarek.
“Best time of the evening in the 200m from Kenny Bednarek, who will be mildly peeved with his seventh in the 100m last night. His time of 19.96 (an “Atlanta,” if you will) is first sub-20 of the heats.”
07:03 PM BST
GB gold medal alert
Great news for Team GB as the women’s sprint trio of Katy Marchant, Sophie Capewell and Emma Finucane have secured gold in the women’s team sprint final. Catch all the reaction on our dedicated cycling blog.
07:01 PM BST
Men’s 200m
Former 400m Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk is through in third in the first heat.
Our new 100m Olympic champion Noah Lyles goes in the final heat.
06:57 PM BST
Men’s 200m and pole vault
The first round of the men’s 200m is just getting going, where there is no British representative. The first three in each heat advance to the semi-finals.
Over at the pole vault, Latvia’s Valters Kreiss is out after failing to get over 5.70 so 11 remain.
“The 3,000m steeplechase is an absolutely hateful event. Just designed to obliterate its competitors, what with its unnecessary length, evil hurdles and health and safety-defying obstacle pond. Thank goodness it has concluded with no serious injuries. Crowd roused for some French involvement in first 200m heat, Ryan Zeze is in lane seven.”
06:47 PM BST
Men’s 3000m steeplechase
We have our finalists from the three heats. From heat one there is Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, Uganda’s Leonard Chemuta, Getnet Wale of Ethiopi, Spain’s Daniel Arce and Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaziri.
In the second heat Morocco’s Mohamed Tindouft, Samuel Firewu of Ethiopia, Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya, Japan’s Ryuji Miura and India’s Avinash Mukund Sable are through.
In the final heat Ethiopia’s Lamercha Girma, USA’s Kenneth Rooks, Kenya’s Simon Kiprop Koech, Tunisia’s Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui and Canada’s Jean-Simon Desgagnes all progress.
Girma is the current world record holder, which he set in Paris last year. Back in the first heat, Kenya’s Amos Serem has been advanced to the final by the referee despite finishing sixth.
06:32 PM BST
Pole vault
Duplantis has entered the stage and cleared 5.70. We are now starting to see a few failures at this height as Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen, China’s Bokai Huang and the Netherlands’ Menno Vloon fail their first jump.
06:30 PM BST
How did Lyles win the men’s 100m final
It was an incredible final inside the Stade de France last night as Noah Lyles took gold in an amazing finish in the men’s 100m to be crowned the new Olympic champion and fastest man in the world. But how did he do it? Jeremy Wilson has the story from Paris. Lyles starts his quest for the 200m title this evening.
06:26 PM BST
Tracking medal winners
To keep across all the medals for Team GB, go to our dedicated medal-winners page. GB will be hoping Keely Hodgkinson can add her name this evening.
06:25 PM BST
Athletics repechage chaos
“Athletics’ controversial new repechage system, in use for the first time at these Paris Olympics, descended into farce on Monday morning when eight runners failed to show up for their races a day after another athlete deliberately finished last.
“Amid bizarre scenes in the French capital, one athlete told Telegraph Sport the new repechage system “doesn’t make sense”, while another described it as “brutal”, suggesting it puts runners at a near-insurmountable disadvantage.”
Ben Bloom has the full story from Paris.
06:21 PM BST
Pole vault and steeplechase updates
In the pole vault Duplantis has opted to pass at 5.50. Just the one fail at that height for Latvia’s Valters Kreiss, so he will have to try again and he successfully passes at the second time of asking.
Meanwhile in the men’s 3000m steeplechase Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco has won the first heat, with Uganda’s Leonard Chemutai in second and Getnet Wale of Ethiopia third. The top five from each heat advance to the final.
06:17 PM BST
Attention on Duplantis, Lyles and Hodgkinson
“Bonsoir from the Stade de France, in which the press seats are markedly less full than last night. Disappointing that the women’s discus does not seem the same draw as the men’s 100m final yesterday.
“No great contraction in the British journalist numbers though. Keely Hodgkinson carries significant hopes in the 800m final, the last event of the evening. Plenty to get through first including another sighting of Noah Lyles who will be bringing his main character energy to the 200m heats. He appears in the sixth and final one, with GB hope Zharnel Hughes in the fourth.
“Lots of Swedish in tonight, here for their boy Armand Duplantis, holder of the pole vault world record of 6.24m. Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie broke Sergey Bubka’s record of 6.14m in 2014, which had stood for almost 20 years. Lavillenie’s mark stood for six but since then Duplantis has broken it eight times and is has now gone 10cm higher. Pretty remarkable progression and he has said he thinks 6.30m is within his grasp. Wonder if he’ll take the Holly Bradshaw approach and write off the early heights?”
06:14 PM BST
Any nerves for Hodgkinson?
She goes in the 800m final tonight at 20.47 (BST) and is unbeaten since last August. She qualified with ease, romping to victory in the final semi-final to be the fastest into the final. Is she nervous ahead of tonight’s final? Jeremy Wilson has the full story from Paris.
06:08 PM BST
Caudery crashes out of pole vault
It was a miserable morning at the Stade de France for Team GB. In the women’s pole vault, the world leader and big medal hope Molly Caudery crashed out in qualifcation. Holly Bradshaw also failed to make the final.
06:01 PM BST
First event of the night
The men’s pole vault final is the first piece of action we have tonight in the Stade de France. Armand Duplantis (Sweden), who won gold in Tokyo, holds the world record at 6.24, which is 0.18 metres higher than anyone else’s personal best in this final. World number two EJ Obiena of the Phillipines and world number three Sam Kendricks (USA) will be trying to deny Duplantis.
The first round of the men’s 3000m steeplechase is also coming up soon.
05:55 PM BST
Track cycling
It is the first night of action in the Velodrome Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines with Team GB’s trio of Emma Finucane, Sophie Capewell and Katy Marchant going for gold in the women’s team sprint. They have already set a new world record in qualifying so look in good shape to claim gold. You can follow all the track cycling action with our live blog.
05:47 PM BST
Inside Hodgkinson’s elite training group
Keely Hodgkinson goes into tonight’s women’s 800m final as the favourite and she is hoping to go one better than she did in Tokyo, where she won silver behind the USA’s Athing Mu, who did not qualify for these Games. She has been training in South Africa over the winter to prepare for these Olympics and Jeremy Wilson has a special report on how a husband and wife team built one of the world’s best and most left-field athlete coaching stables.
05:39 PM BST
Tonight’s schedule
18:00- Men’s pole vault final (featuring world record holder Armand Duplantis)
18:04- Men’s 3000m steeplechase round one
18:55- Men’s 200m round one (featuring new 100m champion Noah Lyles)
19:30- Women’s discus final
19:45- Women’s 200m semi-finals (featuring GB’s Daryll Neita, Dina Asher-Smith and Bianca Williams)
20:15- Women’s 5000m final
20:47- Women’s 800m final (featuring GB’s Keely Hodgkinson)
03:44 PM BST
Hodgkinson goes for gold
Good evening and welcome to coverage of the athletics evening session from the Stade de France on day ten of the Games. Keely Hodgkinson leads Great Britain’s hopes this evening as she goes for gold in the women’s 800m final at 20.47 (BST). The silver medallist from Tokyo is aiming to go one better this time, although Kenya’s Mary Moraa will have other ideas. She goes into the final fastest after comfortably winning her semi-final, however she will be the only Brit in the final after Jemma Reekie and Phoebe Gill were dumped out in the semi-finals. Gill is just 17 years old and acquitted herself well in her semi-final, however it was a huge shock to see Reekie knocked out. She had put herself in a good position but faded badly down the home straight and the silver medallist at the World Indoor Championships earlier this year will not take part in tonight’s final.
Elsewhere tonight Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita and Bianca Williams go in the women’s 200m semi-finals at 19.45. Asher-Smith will be hoping to bounce back from the disappointment of missing out on the final of the women’s 100m final whilst Neita will be aiming to build on her fourth place finish in that final. They will have to beat out the likes of Gabby Thomas (USA) and new 100m champion Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia).
It was a pretty miserable start to day ten for Team GB at the Stade de France in the morning session, as bad news seemed to be followed by more bad news. Molly Caudery, the world leader in the pole vault and one of Britain’s big gold medal hopes in athletics, was shockingly dumped out of the competition after failing to register a qualification height. Caudery had cleared a British record 4.92m earlier this year, and is also the world indoor champion. Caudery was joined in exiting the competition by fellow GB athlete Holly Bradshaw, who won bronze in Tokyo but was not considered one of the favourites for a medal this time around.
To compound a miserable morning for Team GB, Zharnel Hughes has pulled out of the men’s 200m with a tight hamstring. He failed to reach the men’s 100m final last night and will now not compete in the 200m. We will have to wait and see whether he will be fit for the 4x100m relay. Hughes’ withdrawal means GB have no competitors in the 200m, with the new 100m champion Noah Lyles aiming to double up, with round one taking place at 18.55.
Tonight we also have the men’s pole vault final at 18.00, with world record holder Armand Duplantis (Sweden) in action. There is also the final in the women’s discus at 19.30, the men’s steeplechase round one at 18.04 and at 20.15 the women’s 5000m final takes place.
Source Agencies
