Hodgkinson withdraws from Zurich Diamond League, says body not ready

Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson has pulled out of the women's 800m race at the Zurich Diamond League meeting due to her body not being fully prepared. Hodgkinson, who was set to compete against Switzerland's Audrey Werro, cited her body being unready to race again following the European Championships in Birmingham. The athlete stated that they have decided to skip this race and focus on preparing for the next one.

Hodgkinson expressed her disappointment at missing the event but expressed hope to see Werro and other participants next year. The race will see world 400m hurdles champion Femke Broeders-Bol and Hodgkinson's training partner, Georgia Hunter Bell, who recently won 800m gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Lilian Odira of Kenya, the world 800m champion who beat Hodgkinson and Hunter Bell at the Tokyo Olympics, has withdrawn from the race due to illness and weakness since the Commonwealth Games.

Despite Diamond League organizers expressing excitement for Hodgkinson's anticipated race against Werro, they fully respect her decision and hope to see her return to Zurich in the future. Hodgkinson, who has dealt with hamstring and knee injuries over the past few years, skipped the Commonwealth Games to prioritize the European Championships during a busy summer schedule.

She had previously signed up for Zurich, believing that competing against the best would bring out the best in her. The event is the penultimate Diamond League race of the season, with the final taking place in Brussels from September 4-5. The race will be broadcast live on BBC Three, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.