Kenyan Athlete Odira Wins Historic 800m Gold in Tokyo
Lilian Odira surprises Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson to win 800m gold at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with a championship record time of 1:54.62.
The Kenyan athlete's victory marked a historic moment, as she became the third Kenyan woman to win the...
Lilian Odira pulled off a stunning upset at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, outpacing Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson to claim the women's 800m title. She crossed the finish line in a remarkable 1:54.62, setting a new championship record and shattering her personal best by nearly two seconds.
The Kenyan athlete's victory marked a historic moment, as she became the third Kenyan woman to win the 800m title after Janeth Jepkosgei and Mary Moraa. Odira's winning time broke the 42-year-old record set by Jarmila Kratochvilova of Czechoslovakia in 1983.
Georgina Hunter Bell secured a silver medal with a personal best time of 1:54.90 in a thrilling photo finish with her British teammate and training partner, Hodgkinson, who claimed the bronze medal. Despite being the favorite to win, Hodgkinson's path to the podium was far from smooth.
Hodgkinson, a 23-year-old silver medalist from the last two world championships, faced significant challenges heading into the race. After winning Olympic gold in Paris last summer, she was sidelined for months with hamstring problems, casting doubt on her participation in the world championships. It wasn't until August that she returned to track action, leaving her qualification uncertain until the last minute.
The race unfolded at an electrifying pace, with defending world champion Mary Moraa of Kenya taking the lead from the start. Hodgkinson navigated the early laps strategically, hugging the curb on her shoulder to conserve energy. However, as the bell lap approached, Hodgkinson found herself boxed in by the field, with Switzerland's Audrey Werro cleverly maneuvering past her on the outside.
Undeterred, Hodgkinson displayed her tactical prowess, battling her way down the inside lane to maintain her position in contention. The decisive moment came with 200 meters to go when Hodgkinson seized an opportunity to overtake Moraa on the inside as the pack began to split. This bold move set the stage for an intense finish.
CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD 🥵
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) September 21, 2025
🇰🇪's Lilian Odira runs the race of her life to win the 800m with a championship record of 1:54.62 🔥
She finishes ahead of Georgia Hunter-Bell and Olympic champ Keely Hodgkinson with for the first time, 3 women dipping under 🤯#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/XPO3cFAIVI
As the finish line approached, Georgina Hunter Bell and Keely Hodgkinson were neck and neck, with Hunter Bell right behind Hodgkinson, making it seem like a sure 1-2 finish for Britain at Tokyo's National Stadium. However, Kenyan athlete Lilian Odira had other plans. With a stunning display of speed, Odira surged past both British runners in the final stretch, claiming the gold medal in the women's 800m event.
WHAT A FINAL SPRINT! 💨
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) September 21, 2025
Lilian Odira storms home to take the women’s 800m world title! 🥇#WorldAthleticsChamps | #RoadToLA28 pic.twitter.com/hTRPns0KYH
This victory marked Odira's first global medal, a remarkable achievement for the 26-year-old Kenyan athlete who had previously won silver at the African Games last year and only managed to reach the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics. Notably, Odira had set her previous personal best of 1:56.52 when she finished second to Hodgkinson at the Silesia Diamond League meet last month. In the World Championships final, Odira shattered her previous best, crossing the finish line with a championship record time of 1:54.62.
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