Keely Hodgkinson wins 800m in hooded speedsuit as Athlos debuts in London

Hodgkinson dominates in custom speedsuit

Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson won the women's 800 metres at the Athlos London meeting on Friday, 18 September 2026. Running at north London's StoneX Stadium, the 24-year-old British runner pulled clear of the field on the back straight to win in one minute 56.40 seconds, finishing more than two seconds ahead of Switzerland's Valentina Rosamilia (1:58.75). Hodgkinson competed in a custom hooded black Nike speedsuit with openings for sunglasses and a ponytail, an aerodynamic project she developed over six months. Her victory followed an injury-affected period where she sustained a hamstring tear at the European Championships in Birmingham and revealed a split hamstring tendon. Hodgkinson reflected on the design and the meet after crossing the line.

This is a project I have been working on with Nike for quite some time. It went down a treat. Life is about enjoying it and this was so much fun.

Athlos debuts international format in London

The London meet marked the third edition of Athlos and its first event outside New York. Founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, the all-female competition featured an entertainment-driven presentation with track-side music from DJ Trauma, athlete walkouts on a raised stage, and a red-carpet entry. The meeting operated on a streamlined schedule without preliminary heats, placing six invited athletes directly into each of the straight finals across seven disciplines. Competitions included track races and a long jump staged on an elevated runway beside the track. Winners received custom silver crowns produced by Tiffany & Co. instead of traditional medals, alongside financial awards from a total purse of over $1.05 million.

Sprint and middle-distance results

American sprinters secured victories in the short-distance events. In the 100 metres, Sha'Carri Richardson took first place with a winning time of 10.80 seconds. The 200 metres saw Olympic champion Gabby Thomas finish first in 22.13 seconds, leading fellow Americans Kayla White (22.40) and Anavia Battle (22.43), while Ireland's Rhasidat Adeleke finished fourth in 22.64 seconds. In the 400 metres, Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic won in 48.73 seconds, edging Norway's Henriette Jaeger who set a national record at the same time. The women's mile ended with Poland's Klaudia Kazimierska overtaking Britain's Georgia Hunter Bell on the inside rail to win in 4:19.43.

Athlete reactions and financial structure

Each event winner took home $65,000, with prize money descending through all six final positions, including $15,000 for fourth place, $10,000 for fifth, and $6,000 for sixth. Organizers also established a $250,000 bonus for any competitor who broke a world record during the evening. Ireland's Sophie O'Sullivan finished fifth in the 800 metres with a time of 2:00.53 after reaching the opening lap in 57.53 seconds. Attendees at the sellout venue included tennis champion Serena Williams with her daughters Olympia and Adira. Richardson commented on the international expansion of the series following her win.

It is going to continue to grow and the world is watching.