British athlete Keely Hodgkinson has reflected on her narrow defeat by Audrey Werro of Switzerland in the women's 800m on Friday. Speaking to the British press, including the Guardian's Sean Ingle, Hodgkinson anticipates an "epic" rivalry with Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol of the Netherlands in future competitions.
Hodgkinson acknowledged the motivation that comes from such a loss, stating, "It definitely does. I've been very motivated in training." She noted the gap between her and Werro had closed, from four-tenths in Stockholm to two-tenths in their recent race. Despite the defeat, Hodgkinson believes she performed well, adding, "I don't think I did anything wrong. It is what it is."
Addressing comparisons to past athletes, Hodgkinson expressed frustration with comments about her height. She emphasised that athletes have different strengths and weaknesses, and the challenge lies in each runner figuring out how to perform their best 800m against each other.