On 27 August 2023, Keely Hodgkinson took silver in the 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Kenya's Mary Moraa won gold; Hodgkinson crossed second in 1:56.34. The medal was earned, but it was not the one she wanted.
Through on the inside, but the line came too soon
Athing Mu of the United States set off hard and led a tight pack to the bell in a swift 56.6. Hodgkinson stayed tucked in close, with Moraa and Jemma Reekie completing a four-woman group. The race was still open with 200 metres to run.
Down the home straight the field split three ways. Moraa launched her kick from lane two on the outside, while Hodgkinson pressed through on the inside. Mu, twice her conqueror, had no answer and slipped to bronze.
For the first time at a major championship, Hodgkinson beat Mu. But Moraa held on to win by about two metres, and the Briton had to settle for second.
A third global silver, and still only 21
The result gave Hodgkinson her third consecutive global 800m silver, after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the World Championships in Eugene in 2022. She had come to Budapest as the world leader, calm and controlled, at just 21. The near miss placed her firmly among the event's best while a first world title stayed out of reach.
"I gave it my all, like I always do," she told reporters afterwards. "I don't think I put a foot wrong. Another silver — it's not bronze, it's not gold — we're still on the podium."
The gold would come, in Paris a year later. In Budapest, Hodgkinson took the last hard step before it.
