Hodgkinson wins Athlos 800m in London debut wearing custom speed suit

British runner Keely Hodgkinson claimed victory in the 800m wearing an all-new, all-black aerodynamic speed suit as the New York-founded women's athletics meet Athlos made its London debut at StoneX Stadium. The 24-year-old crossed the line in 1:56.40 after breaking clear on the back straight, and was presented with a silver Tiffany & Co crown instead of a medal.

Hodgkinson said the outfit had been almost a year in development, blending fashion, speed and science. The win was her first since the London Diamond League meeting in July, capping a mixed season for the Olympic champion. Earlier in the year she claimed her first world indoor 800m title and broke a 24-year-old world record, but a summer fall during a training run and a recurrence of a hamstring injury disrupted her progress, leaving her runner-up to Switzerland's Audrey Werro at both the European Championships and the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship.

Athlos, founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, offered a top prize of $65,000 in each of its seven disciplines, with a total prize pot of $1.05m. American sprinters Gabby Thomas and Sha'Carri Richardson also won on the night, while Poland's Klaudia Kazimierska edged Britain's Georgia Hunter Bell in a close mile finish.

A planned two-day 2026 expansion of Athlos was scaled back after a New York meeting set for October was cancelled following discussions with athletes at the end of a long season. Ohanian said he hopes to eventually align Athlos with the wider athletics calendar. The event remains women-only for now, though Ohanian has pointed to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as a potential opportunity to expand its scope.