Superhero-suited Hodgkinson powers to Athlos 800m title

LONDON, Sept 18 : Keely Hodgkinson ended a rocky season in fine fashion on Friday, shrugging off hamstring concerns to win the 800 metres at the all-women's Athlos London 2026 while dressed in a black, hooded speedsuit that made her look more superhero than middle-distance runner.

Britain's Olympic champion pulled away from the field over the final 200 metres to clock one minute 56.40 seconds and win by more than two seconds at StoneX Stadium, marking the first Athlos event outside the US after two New York meetings.

"I would have loved to have had (an event like this) when I was younger," Hodgkinson said. "This is fun... life is supposed to be about enjoying it."

After finishing second to Switzerland's Audrey Werro at last week's World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hodgkinson revealed she had suffered a hamstring tear at the European Championships in Birmingham a few weeks earlier.

She said an MRI last season showed she had a rare split hamstring tendon, which allows her to keep competing through injury but may also increase her risk of recurring problems.

The 24-year-old showed no sign of injury on Friday, instead embracing the event's playful spirit in her suit reminiscent of Cathy Freeman at the 2000 Olympics, and dark glasses.

"I know, it's pretty sick," she said. "It's a project I've been working on with Nike for a long time. I thought what a place to bring it out, an all-women's event. It went down a treat."

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian created Athlos to give women's athletics a fresh spotlight, pairing attractive prize money and athlete ownership opportunities with a more entertainment-focused approach.

That vision was on full display in London, where athletes made individual walkouts, the long jump