Hunter Bell leads Hodgkinson as GB win 800m silver and bronze

Georgia Hunter Bell led Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson to a British medal double in the world 800m final - but their bid for a stunning one-two was spoiled by Kenya's Lilian Odira in Tokyo.

Hunter Bell continued her fairytale return to the sport she had quit for five years by edging training partner Hodgkinson to second, 0.28 seconds behind Odira who claimed gold in a championship record one minute 54.62 seconds.

While Hodgkinson, 23, had set her sights on a first world title following successive silvers before her triumph at Paris 2024, bronze represented a remarkable achievement at the end of a season devastated by injury setbacks.

Hunter Bell upgraded her Olympic bronze medal in 1:54.90 - a mere one hundredth of a second ahead of training partner and good friend Hodgkinson.

Hodgkinson and Hunter Bell had both spoken before the final about their ambitions to become the first British athletes to achieve a one-two at a World Championships since Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders in Japan 18 years ago.

Both coached by husband-and-wife partnership Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows, the pair trained together, roomed together at the British team's holding camp, and have performed drills together in the corridors of the team hotel to escape the Tokyo heat.

But on Sunday they became gold medal rivals and would end up locked together - almost inseparable - as they threw themselves across the line.

Ultimately, it was Hunter Bell - having had a full season to build towards this moment - who was able to summon the final effort required for silver after Odira had made her way past in the closing stages to achieve her first global medal of any colour.

While Hodgkinson only has a desire to be number one after establishing herself as Olympic champion, this was a bronze medal which, in the context, was worth its weight in gold.

Against all odds, after enduring a deeply challenging year both physically and emotionally, Hodgkinson has come back from a 376 day wait to make her bow as Olympic champion with her fifth successive global podium.

After a knee injury sustained before the Olympic final last August set her back over the winter, two torn hamstrings kept her out of action until just five weeks before the championships.

The second, a grade three tear of the right hamstring incurred after her back tightened during the eight-hour round trip to collect her MBE from Windsor Castle, put her hopes of even making the start line in Tokyo in jeopardy.

There was only time for her to race twice in August before launching her bid for world glory, the world-leading time which she produced in her statement comeback just five weeks ago had positioned her as favourite for gold.

For a while, Hodgkinson struggled to watch other people sprint. According to Meadows, there have, understandably, been more tears "than ever before".

But, through her lengthy layoffs from the track she took the opportunity to rebuild solid foundations in the gym, with her increased strength and power reflected in lifting personal bests. Within her group, she was nicknamed 'Keely 2.0'.

While this was not the golden reward she ultimately sought, after announcing her return by setting the fastest time of the year, she was able to celebrate with Hunter Bell as both athletes went home with something to show for their efforts.

More to follow.