England's Georgia Hunter Bell has secured the 800m Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow, marking her first outdoor gold medal. This victory adds to her 1500m world indoor title won earlier this year in Poland, setting her sights on an ambitious sweep of four gold medals in 2026.
The 32-year-old athlete, a training partner of Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, dominated the 800m final, leading the pace and kicking on with 200m to go to win by over a second. Hodgkinson opted not to compete in the event, taking time off before the European Championships.
Hunter Bell is slated to race in the 1500m at the European Championships in Birmingham, starting on 10 August, and will also compete at the inaugural Ultimate Championships in September. She expressed that "Every medal is a landmark moment but my first outdoor gold is huge."
Reflecting on her win, Hunter Bell defended other athletes' decisions to withdraw from events, stating, "Every decision is different per athlete." She highlighted that athletes aim to be healthy and racing, and if they are not competing, there is a reason.