GREAT Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson set an 800m world lead in her first race since winning gold at the Paris Olympics.

The 23-year-old returned to action in Silesia for the first time in 376 days in emphatic fashion.

Hodgkinson, whose return from the hamstring injury she sustained in February has been delayed by setbacks, set a new meeting record of 1:54.74 to finish well clear of Kenya’s Lilian Odira and Botswana’s Oratile Nowe.

The Briton’s time was her second-fastest ever – and the fastest by any runner since her victory in the 800m final at Paris 2024.

Hodgkinson is now setting her sights on the World Championships in Tokyo which get under way on 13 September.

“That was so much fun,” she said after victory in a race which took place before Saturday’s main Diamond League programme.

“I planned to run a fast time because I do not have five races any more before Tokyo, I only have today and the meeting in Lausanne.

“So it had to be fast and I am happy that it worked.”

Hodgkinson will be hoping to upgrade silver to gold at the Worlds, having finished second at both the two previous editions – in 2022 and 2023. (BBC Sport)