Women’s 800 steals the show

Women’s 800 steals the show

Alongside Noah Lyles’ stellar performance in the 100 meters, the race of the London Diamond League was the women’s 800m. It also sets up rather nicely the next big women’s 800 meter race, in Paris next month.

With Mary Moraa running Doha and Pre in May and only the Kenyan trials in June, on paper she looks under-prepared. But Mary is nothing if not unpredictable. Since beating Mary at Pre, Keely Hodgkinson has run 3 rounds at the European Championship and won Hengelo and London – plus running 400 at the GB Champs. For the neutral observer, it is a shame that Athing Mu will not be in Paris, having fallen in the brutal US trials.

The London 800m was as remarkable for the times as the British 1-2-3. Before coming on to the winners, it needs to be said what a remarkable race it was, with all 10 ladies finishing under 1:59 – and seven PRs recorded. I’m sure that if you had told Allie Wilson before the race that she was going to run a PR of 1:57.52, she would have been delighted – but she would not have expected to finish 7th. Similarly, Laura Muir must have been scratching her head after running a 1:57.6 and finding herself eighth!

The top four were

1 Keely Hodgkinson 1:54.61 WL, MR, NR, PB

2 Jemma Reekie 1:55.61

3 Georgia Bell 1:56.28

4 Natoya Goule-Toppin (Jamaica) 1:56.83

Hodgkinson and Reekie each took a second off their PR. Bell, who will run 1500m in Paris, took three seconds off hers. Absent from the race was the third GB 800 runner for Paris, Phoebe Gill. She is running in the European Under 18s this weekend. You may recall that Gill had to decline an invite to the European Champs in June – couldn’t get the day off High School!

Hodgkinson summed up her performance: “I felt really good today, I just wanted to go for it and see what was there. It was a little bit of bravery and fearlessness with a great atmosphere like this, I didn’t want to waste the opportunity. The Brits know how to put on an athletics meet, I wish there were more in this country because it’s the best crowd I’ve ever run in front of. I’m feeling really good and confident ahead of Paris”.

Jemma Reekie said: “ I just wanted to have a solid run out here today. I had COVID a couple of weeks ago so I missed a bit of time but I knew if I was chasing after Keely I’d run fast. I was really happy with my position, we went off a little quicker than I expected”.

Georgie Bell commented: “I’m a Londoner so it’s cool to perform in London and I’m loving the experience. The 800m helps me with speed training for the 1500m, I’ve not got any more races before the Games just a block of training. Until then I’m just focusing on staying healthy, happy and hopefully have a good performance in Paris”.

It is hard to argue that Hodgkinson has not set herself up as the favourite in Paris. She is so good for the sport, the way she competes so often. Her decision to run 400 at GB trials – an option open to 2023 World Championship medalists to run a different event at trials – was, I understand, partly an opportunity to remind the 4 by 400 relay selectors that she is available if required!

Many people will be delighted to see Jemma Reekie running so well. At the Tokyo Olympics Jemma was in the bronze medal position until Raevyn Rogers passed her on the line to take the medal by 0.09 seconds, leaving Jemma fourth. Since then Jemma has had an acrimonious split from her coach, relocated 500 miles from her native Scotland, struggled to recover from glandular fever (mono) not to mention COVID. With all that behind her, it’s great to see her in the form of her life going into her second Olympics.

If a mere Diamond League race can produce this kind of excitement, just imagine what could happen in Paris. I’m glad that I will be one of those privileged to be there to see it.