Olympic 800m Champion Keely Hodgkinson Reveals Hamstring Abnormality Found on MRI Scan

Keely Hodgkinson says an MRI scan revealed a structural hamstring abnormality, explaining injury struggles that derailed her world record attempt.

Keely Hodgkinson, the Great Britain runner who won Olympic gold in the 800m at Paris 2024, has disclosed that an MRI scan uncovered an abnormality in her hamstring — a structural difference she says means she is 'built differently' from other athletes. The discovery came after the 22-year-old dealt with hamstring trouble that disrupted her season and cut short what had been shaping up as a world record bid. According to The Guardian, a freak accident involving a canal played a role in derailing her push for the world record, though precise details of that incident are limited in available reporting. The injury forced Hodgkinson to step back from competition for a period before she was able to return to racing. Hodgkinson returned to action in time to run at the Athlos meeting in London on Friday, which she confirmed would be her final race of the 2024 season. The event gave fans a chance to see the reigning Olympic champion back on track after what had been an interrupted post-Games campaign. The MRI findings appear to offer an explanation for why the hamstring issue arose, with Hodgkinson framing the abnormality not as a cause for alarm but as a distinctive feature of her physiology — one that she and her medical team are now aware of as they plan her training and competition schedule going forward.

Why it matters

Hodgkinson is one of Britain's most prominent track athletes following her Paris Olympic gold, so any injury news affects her prospects for future major championships. The structural finding could have long-term implications for how her training and injury prevention are managed.

What's next

Hodgkinson's appearance at the Athlos meeting in London on Friday marks the end of her 2024 season, with attention likely to turn to her preparations for the 2025 campaign.

Key facts

• Keely Hodgkinson won the 800m gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics
• An MRI scan revealed a structural abnormality in her hamstring
• She described herself as 'built differently' in response to the finding
• A canal accident was reported to have contributed to derailing her world record attempt
• The Athlos meeting in London on Friday is her final race of the 2024 season
• Hodgkinson is 22 years old

Bias & framing notes

Source detail is limited: the bundle_app source was paywalled and unavailable, leaving only BBC News and The Guardian. The BBC focused on the MRI abnormality and Hodgkinson's 'built differently' quote, while The Guardian led with the canal accident angle and its effect on her world record bid — two distinct framings of the same broader story that together offer a fuller picture than either alone.

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