Hodgkinson sets British record in defeat as Duplantis streak ends in Stockholm

Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson recorded a personal best and British record of 1:54.33 at the Stockholm Diamond League, yet finished second to Switzerland’s Audrey Werro. Werro claimed victory in 1:53.98, a time that stands as the third-fastest women’s 800m performance in history and the fastest globally this year. Hodgkinson, competing in her first outdoor 800m race of the season, was narrowly behind, with American Roisin Willis taking third place in 1:57.56.

The result marks a significant shift for Hodgkinson, who has targeted the world record this year after smashing the indoor record in February. Although she ran her fastest 800m time since July 2024, Werro set a rapid pace with a first lap of 55.54 seconds. Hodgkinson moved to the front with 300m remaining, but Werro cruised past her on the home straight to secure the win.

In the men’s pole vault, Swedish star Armand Duplantis suffered his first defeat in 40 events, ending a three-year winning streak in the Diamond League. The Olympic and world champion jumped 5.80m, finishing second to Australia’s Kurtis Marschall, who cleared 5.90m. Duplantis, who recently broke the world record in Uppsala, attributed the result to a lack of focus and noted his upcoming marriage as a potential factor in his performance.

Other notable results included a victory for Daniel Stahl in the men’s discus, where the world champion threw 69.60m to beat Australia’s Matthew Denny. In the women’s 100m, Britain’s Amy Hunt achieved a personal best of 10.97 seconds to finish second to America’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. Dina Asher-Smith placed sixth in the same event.

Hodgkinson indicated she remains satisfied with her performance despite the loss, citing the value of the experience as she prepares for future competitions. She plans to compete in Eugene before the next Diamond League meeting in London on 18 July, viewing the race as a positive step in her training cycle.