Odira wins world 800m gold as Bell and Hodgkinson claim silver and bronze for GB

Kenya’s Lilian Odira won the world 800 meters title in Tokyo on Sunday with a championship-record 1:54.62, denying Britain a planned one-two as Hunter Bell edged training partner Keely Hodgkinson for silver by 0.01 seconds.

Odira’s victory came as Bell, returning to the sport after a five-year break, produced a late surge to take silver in 1:54.90, just ahead of Hodgkinson, who finished 1:54.91 for bronze. Odira’s win marked her first global medal of any colour, and her time set a new championship standard for the event.

The British duo had spoken beforehand about pursuing Britain’s first World Championship 1-2 in the 800m since Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders did so in Osaka 18 years earlier. The two trained together under the same coaching team, Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows, a husband-and-wife partnership who also shared accommodations and training routines during the British team’s Tokyo hold camp.

The final itself was a tight, almost inseparable race among the leading trio, with Bell and Hodgkinson repeatedly trading places en route to the finish. Bell, who has returned to competition after stepping away from the sport, delivered the decisive push in the final stretch to claim silver, narrowly ahead of Hodgkinson, whose season had been hampered by injuries but who still secured a podium finish that capped a challenging year.

Odira’s triumph adds a new chapter to Kenya’s 800m success on the global stage, while Britain’s medals underscore the strength of its middle-distance program as it looks toward future global championships. Hodgkinson’s bronze and Bell’s silver represent a significant milestone for British women’s middle-distance running, even as the ambitious one-two goal remained unfulfilled this time around.

Both Bell and Hodgkinson have been central to the British team’s 800m campaign this season, combining elite tempo work with tactical racing. Their partnership has been noted for its camaraderie and mutual support, even as they stood opposed on the track for the medals. As the season continues, coaches and officials will no doubt reassess how to capitalize on the momentum generated by this British medal haul and the prospect of a future one-two at a major global meet.