Keely Hodgkinson withdrew from the 400m final at the UK Athletics Championships in tears moments before the race was due to begin, although her camp swiftly downplayed injury concerns.
The Olympic 800m champion has been competing over 400m this season as a way to improve her first-lap speed as she targets the world record in the longer distance, her specialism.
She qualified fifth-fastest for the 400m final on Sunday at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium and took her position in lane nine alongside the rest of the athletes, before walking to the side of the track just before the race was expected to start.
She was visibly distressed as she was surrounded by officials before walking back inside the stadium.
The BBC, which has been broadcasting the championships, later said Hodgkinson’s coach, Jenny Meadows, informed them she withdrew as “she felt a little twinge in her last strides before the race” – having warmed up for the final – and that she “wanted to play it safe”.
Hodgkinson released a statement afterwards reading: “I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent standing on the start line, so I made the tough decision to step away and not race. I didn’t want to risk anything this summer.”
The 24-year-old is scheduled to run the Prefontaine Classic on 4 July before the London Diamond League on 18 July, where she plans to target Jarmila Kratochvilova’s long-standing and controversial 800m world record of 1:53.28.
She has endured a difficult and injury-disrupted past couple of seasons but broke the world indoor record in February and looked to be back to her best.
In Birmingham, former world indoor champion Amber Anning false-started the 400m final but recovered to win in 50.16 seconds, defending her title from Yemi Mary John in 50.23 and Charlotte Henrich in 50.58.
Earlier on Sunday 2025 world silver medallist Georgia Hunter Bell, Hodgkinson’s rival and training partner, defended her 800m title in 1:55.93 – breaking Kelly Holmes’ championship record, set in 1995.
Olympic 400m silver medallist Matt Hudson-Smith ran 44.45s to regain the British title, winning it for a sixth time. He dedicated his win to his daughter, who had a difficult birth which meant he missed last year’s event.
He said: “Last year, there were a lot of complications. It was a whirlwind. I was at the hospital bed for five days straight due to my wife’s birth, and then when I got to the World Championships I was injured.
“It was a bit tough, but it’s part of the sport. My coach said I should make a statement to show that I’m back.”
World 200m silver medallist Amy Hunt was not able to replicate her triumph in the 100m on Saturday as she was beaten by 21-year-old Success Eduan, who ran a personal best of 22.43, with Hunt second in 22.64.
British record holder Zharnel Hughes missed out on the 100m title on Saturday but stormed back to win the 200m in 20.04, retaining his title, with Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake second in 20.35.
Jake Wightman won the 800m in 1:45.40 after a thrilling duel with Ben Pattison, who was second by nine-hundredths of a second.
