Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Leeds Beckett University student Keely Hodgkinson wins silver in women’s 800m
19-year-old Keely broke the 800m British record by nearly a second with an incredible 1:55.58 finish to claim silver in Tokyo. The record was previously held by Dame Kelly Holmes DBE who ran 1:56.21 in 1995.
Graduate Alex Bell finished seventh in a blistering race with a career personal best of her own of 1:57:56, with six of the eight finalists claiming a career best.
USA’s Athing Mu claimed gold, finishing in 1:55.21 with fellow American runner Raevyn Rogers claiming bronze.
Keely and Alex, alongside fellow finalist Jemma Reekie, made Team GB history becoming the first three women from Britain to compete in the same Olympic final.
Both Keely and Alex are members of the Leeds Beckett University Talent Hub, and are among the four members from the hub competing in Tokyo.
Fellow talent hub athletes, race walker and BSc (Hons) Sports Performance 2013 graduate Tom Bosworth and 3000m steeplechase athlete Lizzie Bird will also compete in Tokyo, with Lizzie due to compete on Wednesday 4 August and Tom on Thursday 5 August alongside fellow LBU graduate Callum Wilkinson.
Andrew Henderson, Head Coach of Athletics at Leeds Beckett University said:
“We are incredibly proud of Keely and Alex’s achievements in the 800m final,
“The race was absolutely amazing and it is such a thrill to see Keely win a silver medal, break Kelly Holmes’ British record and for Alex to push hard to achieve a career best and make history in the final as well,
“They are both a credit to Leeds Beckett University and the Leeds Beckett University Talent Hub, they have put everything in to achieving what they have today and both deserve all of the credit for a fantastic race.”
Keely’s silver medal takes Leeds Beckett University’s medal tally to one gold and four silver medals. LBU’s athletes helped claim gold in the Triathlon mixed relay, while student Alex Yee and graduate Georgia Taylor-Brown both claimed silver in the individual triathlon event and Emily Campbell claimed silver in the +87kg weightlifting event.
LBU medal winners
Gold
Jonny Brownlee, Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown
Silver
Alex Yee
Georgia Taylor-Brown
Keely Hodgkinson
Emily Campbell