Keely Hodgkinson

Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson celebrates after winning gold in the 800m final at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Istanbul.

Keely Hodgkinson defends her 800m title while Jazmin Sawyers wins gold in the women's long jump at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in.

[Ivana Vuleta](/people/ivana-vuleta/) finished on the final podium spot with 6.91, as GB's European champions Hodgkinson and Sawyers - who cut a stunned figure - embraced on the track. [Agnes Raharolahy](/people/agnes-raharolahy/) clinched the bronze medal with a time of 2:00.85, and Hodgkinson would share European elation with [Jazmin Sawyers](/people/jazmin-sawyers/), who became continental champion in the women's long jump. [Keely Hodgkinson](/people/keely-hodgkinson/) successfully defended her 800m title as [Great Britain](/athletics/team-gb/) won a further two gold medals on the final day of the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Istanbul.

Hodgkinson and Sawyers gave Britain two titles in the space of minutes as Femke Bol and Jakob Ingebrigtsen secured second golds on the final day of the ...

[Torben Blech](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/torben-blech) of Germany was the unlucky man in fourth after two failures. [Oscar Husillos](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/oscar-husillos), but David Garcia faded badly on the final leg with France taking silver and the Netherlands third. [Adrian Ben](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/adrian-ben) gave Spain something to cheer in the men's 800m, pipping France's [Benjamin Robert](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/benjamin-robert) on the line to take gold. [Kevin Mayer](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/kevin-mayer) had enough in hand in the closing 1000m to take the men's heptathlon. And 400m indoor world record holder Bol clocked 49.58 as the Netherlands took almost exactly a second and a half off the mark they set in Torun two years ago. [Emmanouil Karalis](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/emmanouil-karalis) and [Piotr Lisek](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/piotr-lisek) of Poland sharing silver having had one failure apiece. Hodgkinson cruised to 800m gold moments before Sawyers produced a long jump world lead in Istanbul. [Malaika Mihambo](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/malaika-mihambo) (6.83m) missed out of the medals in fourth. [Jakob Ingebrigtsen](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/jakob-ingebrigtsen) backed up his 1500m gold with a facile victory in the 3000m. [Femke Bol](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/femke-bol) anchored the Dutch home to a new championship record of 3:25.66 in the women's 4x400m relay. [Keely Hodgkinson](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/keely-hodgkinson) took an expected gold in the women's 800m before [Jazmin Sawyers](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/jazmin-sawyers) pulled off an upset in the long jump. [Ivana Vuleta](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/ivana-spanovic) (formerly Spanovic) in third after her fifth-round jump of 6.91m.

Keely Hodgkinson defended her 800m title before team captain Jazmin Sawyers won a long jump gold at the European Indoor Championships.

McColgan now holds British records for 5,000m, 10,000m as well as 5km, 10km and half-marathon on the road. A total haul of six medals actually represents the lowest tally at these championships since 2009, although major stars like Jake Wightman, Dina Asher-Smith, Eilish McColgan and Katarina Johnson-Thompson were all absent. She added: “I shifted my mindset this time - normally I am thinking, ‘get on the podium’ - but I came here to win. “To win gold,” said Hodgkinson, before deliberately pausing for several seconds until she added the caveat “hopefully”. “I exceeded my own expectations,” said Sawyers, describing the immediate proximity to Hodgkinson’s gold as “the stuff of dreams”. It was further than any woman has jumped this year and, amazingly, is the third furthest indoors or even outdoors by a British athlete.

Posted by Tim Adams | Mar 5, 2023 | 0. The 21-year-old dedicates her European Indoor 800m gold medal to former coach Joe Galvin, who recently passed away.

The best way for me today was to get out of the most dangerous part which was the first 100m. He gave so much to the sport and I dedicate this gold medal to him. That acumen is a testament to her training and ability to process information incredibly well. “Every time I met him he was like ‘you’re going to do this and this!’. The manner and expectation of Hodgkinson’s victory proves how far she has come. The letters of his name were placed across the flag with “legend” placed vertically.

DAVID COVERDALE IN INSTANBUL: Keely Hodgkinson received the gift of a gold medal for her 21st birthday - then paid a poignant tribute to the coach from her ...

‘I knew I was in really good shape but to have it all come together on the day doesn’t always happen. For Keely to be there as well to give me a hug, it is the stuff of dreams.’ The 22-year-old lay motionless while medics rushed to his aid and covered him from view with a tent. Hodgkinson turned 21 on Friday and was always likely to mark her coming of age with victory in Istanbul. But before that is a girls holiday to celebrate her birthday. ‘He passed away on Tuesday, so I’ve not really had time to process it and I was a bit emotional out there.

As sure as night follows day, the rest followed Keely Hodgkinson. The most exciting British track star for a generation is so good that she reduced the 800m ...

Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson retained her 800m title in style at the European Indoor Championships and dedicated her victory to her late former coach.

It has been so many years that for a bit you think, ‘Is it going to come?’. “He had a lot of belief in a little 10-year old me, so that medal is for him and everyone at home. I just hope to keep building on this, keep performing, keep bringing back medals.