ISTANBUL (World-Track) – Keely Hodgkinson, the reigning champion of the 800m, comfortably won her heat on Day 1 at the European Indoor Championships 2023 on Thursday, clocking 2:01.67 to advance to the semi-finals at the Ataköy Arena here in Istanbul.
Hodgkinson, who currently leads the world with an impressive 1:57.18 British record, won heat three over Majtie Kolberg of Germany, who ran 2:01.94 for a personal best, with Italy’s Eloisa Coiro clocking 2:02.19 for third place. The three runners posted the top times from the heats.
In the second heat, Anita Horvat, a finalist at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon last summer, won with a time of 2:03.06, beating Slovak’s Gabriela Gajanová, who ran 2:03.25 for second place.
British champion Isabelle Boffey also made progress into the semi-final, winning heat one with a time of 2:03.24, while Agnès Raharolahy of France won heat 5 with 2:04.56, and Audrey Werro of Switzerland won heat four with 2:05.60.
The European Indoor Championships will continue until Sunday, with athletes from across the continent competing in various events.
Miranda Mitchell reporting, World-Track.org
