Keely Hodgkinson ended her challenging season on a high after storming to victory in the women’s 800m at the all-female Athlos meeting in New York. The British Olympic champion produced a dominant performance, crossing the line in 1:56.53 — a remarkable feat given she had only raced six times all year following a hamstring injury that sidelined her for several months.
Fellow Briton and world silver medallist Georgia Hunter Bell claimed second place in 1:58.33, while St Vincent’s Shafiqua Maloney finished third with 1:58.57. Hodgkinson, who also secured bronze at the World Championships in Tokyo last month, expressed delight at ending her season strongly, saying the energy and atmosphere in New York gave her the extra push she needed to perform at her best.
The American sprinter Brittany Brown thrilled the home crowd with a sensational sprint double, taking the 100m title in 10.99 seconds before returning an hour later to dominate the 200m in a personal best of 21.89. Her compatriot Jacious Sears was narrowly beaten in the 100m, clocking 11.01, while Kayla White placed third in 11.22. In the 200m, Brown powered home ahead of Anavia Battle (22.21) and Ivorian star Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith (22.65).
Faith Kipyegon continued her incredible dominance on the global stage, storming to victory in the mile with a commanding time of 4:17.78. The Kenyan three-time Olympic gold medallist and world record-holder finished nearly two seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, while American Nikki Hiltz claimed third in 4:32.51.
In the 100m hurdles, Olympic champion Masai Russell surged to victory in 12.52 seconds, overtaking her rivals with two barriers remaining. Grace Stark finished close behind in 12.60, and Alaysha Johnson completed the podium in 12.66.
The 400m saw another strong display as Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic powered down the final straight to win in 50.07, ahead of a field that included Britain’s Amber Anning, who finished sixth in 52.86. Meanwhile, Olympic and world long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall reaffirmed her dominance with a winning leap of 7.13 metres, concluding an electrifying night of women’s athletics in style.
