Record-holder Hodgkinson returns to London

Olympic 800m champion will return to the London Wanda Diamond League meeting on July 19, a year after breaking the British record in the London Stadium.

British star Hodgkinson clocked a personal best of 1:54.61 in London last year, a performance which laid the groundwork for her victory in the Olympic final in Paris a few weeks later.

The 23-year-old will be hoping to delight the home crowd once again as she returns to London in two months time.

“I remember after last year’s race thinking, ‘Can we do that all over again?’,” said the 2024 BBC Sports Personality of the Year who enjoyed the ultimate confidence-boosting performance in front of a sell-out crowd. “It was such a dream to compete in the Olympic stadium and I’m so excited to get back out there and see what I can do.

“For me, that race really set me up for what I did in Paris. I’m now an Olympic champion which is a pretty amazing thing to say out loud, but I still haven’t won world gold, so I have really big goals this summer. Having that crowd behind me in London, plus a bunch of super-quick ladies to race against, will be the best possible preparation as I build towards the World Championships in Tokyo.”

As well as a first world title, Hodgkinson will also be hoping to regain the Diamond League title in 2025, two years after she first claimed the Diamond Trophy.

The Wanda Diamond League is the elite one-day meeting series in global athletics. It comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field. Athletes compete for points at the 14 series meetings in a bid to qualify for the two-day Wanda Diamond League Final, which will be held in Zurich on 27 and 28 August 2025.