Keely Hodgkinson will make a much-anticipated return to the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais on Thursday 19 February.

A lot has happened since Keely Hodgkinson last competed indoors. That is understandable, given over 1,000 days have passed (1,048 at the time of writing, to be precise). The long-awaited return of the Olympic Champion to the indoor oval is getting closer, as organisers of the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais have confirmed Hodgkinson will headline their 800m on Thursday 19 February.

The competition and venue are closely associated with fast middle distance performances. Last year, Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke the World Indoor Record for the mile and 1500m (in the same race). It is one Hodgkinson knows well herself, having competed in both 2021 and 2023. At the latter, she won in a then-PB of 1:57.71. Ten days later, she improved to 1:57.18 at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix. It was an impressive trio of races:

  • 8 February: 1:57.87, Torun (Poland)
  • 15 February: 1:57.71, Lievin (France)
  • 25 February: 1:57.18, Birmingham (United Kingdom)

Her last race indoors was her fastest, but she has been vocal in her desire to run faster. Jolanda Ceplak’s World Indoor Record of 1:55.82 has previously been talked about, by Keely and others. It feels destined that, if anyone is to break it, it should be her. Afterall, it was set on the day she was born.

When she last competed indoors, Hodgkinson had an outright PB of 1:55.88. Since then, she has improved by over one second to 1:54.61, one of three runs inside 1:55. One of those – 1:54.74 – came in her return last season, after over a year of no racing. What might be in store indoors this year?

If she is to compete at the World Indoor Championships, the one major medal missing from her CV, she’ll need to compete at the British Indoor Championships. They take place the weekend before Lievin; a perfect tune-up, perhaps.

The Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais, part of the World Indoor Tour Gold, takes place on Thursday 19 February in Lievin (France).