By Matt Hardy
Keely Hodgkinson defended her 800m European Indoor Championships title as the Brit stormed to gold in Istanbul.
The 21-year-old completed the four laps of the 200m track in a time of one minute 58.66 seconds and clear of the rest of the field.
Slovenia’s Anita Horvat came home in second, nearly two seconds behind Hodgkinson, while Agnes Raharolahy of France took the bronze.
Hodgkinson is closing in on the world record of one minute 55.82 seconds, which was set by Jolanda Ceplak on the day the Brit was born in 2022.
“The easiest and the smoothest way was to run hard from the front,” Hodgkinson said.
“That’s how I wanted to do it, I wanted to make the others work hard for it if they were going to be anywhere near me so I am really happy.
“I couldn’t have asked for any more really.”
Elsewhere on the final day of the championships in Turkey, Brit Jazmin Sawyers clocked a world lead distance of seven metres in the women’s long jump final to claim gold.
Switzerland’s Jason Joseph won the men’s 60m hurdles final while Reetta Hurske from Finland won the women’s.
Adrian Ben of Spain took the 800m golf while Belgium won the men’s 4x400m relay.
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