Athing Mu didn’t disappoint as Hodgkinson smashes Holmes record

Nineteen year old American middle distance runner Athing Mu was tipped to clinch the 800m race. The prodigy who does not mind to be so referred aimed to become the first US Woman to win gold at the distance in more than 50 years. She did not disappoint as she clinched gold in 1:55.21.

But there comes a time, when Silver tests like gold.  So it was for ecstatic Keely Hodgkinson was captured shouting ‘what the f***?’ into the stands after winning a silver medal in the women’s 800m final at Tokyo 2020

The 19-year-old from Wigan broke Kelly Holmes’ long-standing British record and became Team GB’s first Olympic medallist in the event since Athens 2004 with a sublime display.

Hodgkinson broke the previous best that Holmes had held since 1995 and her effort of 1:55.88 eclipsed the double Olympic champion’s time of 1:56.21.

Fellow British stars Jemma Reekie and Alexandra Bell also broke their own personal bests to finish fourth and seventh respectively.

Interestingly Mu was always comfortable in front, but all three British women were happy to race at the back in the first lap before Reekie and Hodgkinson made their moves in the final lap.

Reekie looked well in contention for a medal, but she ran out of steam at the end as Raevyn Rogers passed her for bronze.

Hodgkinson, studying criminology at Leeds Beckett University, has gone from virtually unknown at the start to the podium in Tokyo.

read alsoAthing Mu: A prodigy with eyes on Gold can she make it?

In January she ran 1:59.03 in an 800m race in Vienna to become the fastest woman under 20 at the distance indoors.

A month later she became the youngest British European Indoor champion for over 50 years after winning the 800m in Torun.