by Stuart Weir
This is the second column on the European Under 23s, one of the most important meets giving us a view of the future of our sport.
Euro 23s Espoo, Finland
Keely Hodgkinson running 400
After winning the GB Championships 800m to secure a place in the World Championships in Budapest, Keely Hodgkinson announced that she needed to do some speed work and where better to do speed work than by running a 400 at the European U23 Championships.
Hodgkinson, who resolutely refuses to run the 1500s, has expressed an interest in running 4 by 400 relays. By thinks she isn’t yet fast enough. There was no opportunity for Keely to try out in the relay in Finland as GB did not have a team in the competition.
In Espoo, Finland, she achieved her goal of running a PR of 51.76 (improving 53.24 significantly). She said, “I cannot remember too much from this race. This is really a lot more different than the 800m. The girls were so quick. I was just chasing them and am happy for the top three. I was trying to get a new PB and to enjoy the competition. I have learned to be patient with every round and just to trust myself and stay confident. I think my 800m got quicker also, thanks to this event. It had been a lot of fun running the 400m”.
The winner of the race was team-mate Yemi Mary John, who had taken third place at the GB trials in 51.61. Running a good PR of 51.04 ought to secure Budapest’s third (discretionary) place. Second was Henrietta Jeager, who set a national record despite a spectacular fall over the line. Hodgkinson was the first to help her up.
