Keely Hodgkinson concluded her challenging 2026 season with a commanding 800m victory at the London debut of Athlos, an all-female athletics event held at StoneX Stadium. The 24-year-old crossed the finish line in 1 minute 56.40 seconds, delighting a sold-out home crowd. Competing in a custom-made, all-black aerodynamic speed suit featuring an open back and 3D-printed nodes to reduce drag, Hodgkinson marked her first win since July’s London Diamond League.
Reflecting on the unique outfit, which she paired with dark sunglasses and carbon-plated spikes, Hodgkinson described the project as a blend of science, fashion, and speed. She noted that participating in an all-women’s event focused on glamour and visibility was an ideal way to end the year. The suit, reminiscent of the design worn by Cathy Freeman in 2000, included a specific hood design with a ponytail opening that the athlete insisted upon.
Athlos, founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, brought its signature event to London for the first time after previous outings in New York. The meet is known for its high prize stakes, with each event offering a top award of $65,000. Across seven disciplines, each featuring six athletes, organizers distributed a total prize pot of $1.05 million.
The event environment differed from traditional track meets, featuring a party atmosphere with a live track-side DJ. Ohanian was spotted watching the action alongside his wife, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, and their children. The meet also saw strong performances from American sprint stars; Sha’Carri Richardson won the 100m in 10.80 seconds, while Gabby Thomas secured the 200m victory in 22.13 seconds. Other winners included Dominican 400m Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino, who clocked 48.73 seconds, as well as Alaysha Johnson in the 100m hurdles and Alyssa Jones in the long jump.
For Hodgkinson, the victory provided a welcome high point after a season marked by both record-breaking performances and physical setbacks. While she achieved a world 800m title and set a new world record during the indoor season, her outdoor campaign was hampered by a hamstring injury and a mid-summer fall. Despite recent second-place finishes behind Swiss runner Audrey Werro, she finished her year by celebrating on stage with her fellow competitors.
In other races, British athlete Georgia Hunter Bell narrowly missed victory in the mile, finishing behind Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska, who won in 4 minutes 19.43 seconds. Kazimierska, the current Diamond League champion, had previously defeated Hunter Bell at the recent World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
Looking ahead, Ohanian aims to integrate Athlos into the global athletics calendar as a long-term league. While original plans for a two-day expansion in 2026 were shelved following consultations with tired athletes, there is an intention to align future meets with the existing schedule. This remains a complex task given the established presence of the Diamond League and the introduction of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, which recently featured a $10 million prize fund. The high-stakes nature of these new events has already impacted participation, with recent record-breaker Masai Russell withdrawing from the London meet following the Ultimate Championship. The report also notes that bursting clear on the back straight and crossing the line in one minute 56.40 seconds, the 24-year-old ensured she ended a mixed year with a dominant 800m victory in front of a sellout home crowd at StoneX Stadium. The report also notes that speaking about the outfit, Hodgkinson said Sport: “This has been like a year in the making. The report also notes that it was a real honour for them to choose me to put this out first. The report also notes that we weren’t sure when we were going to wear it. The report also notes that a top prize of $65,000 (£48,500) was on offer in each event, in addition to the silver Tiffany crown awarded to winners instead of medals. The report also notes that each featuring six athletes, with money on offer for each position from a total event prize pot of $1.05m (£790,500), the single-night meet included seven disciplines.
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