Hodgkinson targets world record at Keely Classic in Birmingham

British athletics' golden girl Keely Hodgkinson will attempt to break the 800-metre indoor world record in Birmingham this month.

Hodgkinson headlines the Keely Classic at the Utilita Arena on Saturday, February 15 - with a host of other British Olympic stars set to be involved in other record attempts.

Jake Wightman, Georgia Bell and Molly Caudery are also in action, with Hodgkinson ready to kick off a 2025 campaign she hopes will be as memorable as 2024.

“This event is all about bringing energy, passion and top-tier athletics to the fans,” she said. “It will be an unforgettable experience for everyone involved, with some of the UK’s best athletes competing and a special focus on the 800m.”

Keely Hodgkinson after receiving the award for BBC Sports Personality of the Year

The Olympic 800m champion, and 2024 Sports Personality of the Year, has set her sights on breaking Jolanda Čeplak’s long-standing mark of 1:55.82, which was set coincidentally on the day Hodgkinson was born – March 3 in 2002.

Hodgkinson’s best times are 1:54.61 outdoors and 1:57.18 indoors.

Wightman will be looking to reclaim his UK indoor 1000m record at the meeting, too.

Jake Wightman poses with a Union Jack and his world medal

The 2022 world 1500m champion used to hold the mark with 2:17.51 but it was beaten by Charlie Da’Vall Grice in New York four years ago with the Brighton Phoenix athlete clocking 2:17.20.

After setting a UK outdoor 1500m record of 3:52.61 in the Olympic final last year, Georgia Bell will come into this indoor season aiming to break the UK indoor mark of 3:59.58, which is held by Laura Muir.

Great Britain's Georgia Bell with her Olympic bronze medal

Like Hodgkinson, Bell has been in South Africa training for the indoor season and will be keen to at least improve her indoor best of 4:03.22, which was set last year and puts her No.4 on the UK all-time rankings.

Pole vaulter Caudery is another big name who has signed up to compete at the Keely Klassic. The UK record-holder with 4.92m from last year will be hoping to enjoy another great indoor season, as she won the world indoor title in 2024.

Molly Caudery clears the bar in the women’s pole vault with the Etihad Stadium and Manchester City logos in the background during the UK Athletics Championships and Olympic trials

The event is a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze meeting and begins at 10.45am, reaching a climax with Hodgkinson’s world 800m record attempt at just before 5pm.

Buy your tickets to the Keely Classic here.

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