Keely Hodgkinson clinches magical women's 800m GOLD - as Team GB star lives up to favourite tag to beat Kenyan rival Mary Moraa
Keely Hodgkinson produced a perfect performance in Paris to win Olympic gold in the 800 meters and end her wait for a first global title.
The British star, a silver medallist at Tokyo 2020 and the last two World Championships dominated last night's final, powering away from the rest of the field to cross the line in 1min 56.72sec.
Hodgkinson's time was 0.43sec clear of Ethiopian Tsige Duguma, while world champion Mary Moraa collected the bronze.
The 22-year-old is the first British woman to win an athletics gold medal at the Olympics since her hero Jessica Ennis-Hill at London 2012 and only the 10th ever.
Hodgkinson is also only the third Brit to win the women's 800m title, emulating Kelly Holmes in 2004 and Ann Packer in 1964.
'That was incredible,' said an emotional Hodgkinson. 'I've worked so hard for this over the last year. I think you could see how much it meant to me when I crossed the line. I can't believe I've finally done it.
'I could feel Mary pushing me on the back straight, but I had composure and got to the line first this time. I'm now the Olympic champion for the next four years and no one can take that away from me.
'I'm just super happy I could bring it home, not just for me and my team, but for everyone.'
Tonight, Josh Kerr will look to claim Team GB's second gold medal on the Stade de France track in the men's 1500m final, when he takes on his rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the defending champion.
Britain also has an interest in tonight's women's 200m final after Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita both made it through.
Asher-Smith came second in her semi-final in 22.31sec. Neita also finished second in her race in 22.24sec and is now targeting a medal after her encouraging fourth place in Saturday's 100m final.
'I am a contender,' insisted Neita. 'Once you are in that final, anything can happen. It's an open race. I am feeling very confident.'
In the men's 200m, Zharnel Hughes withdrew from last night's heats due to 'hamstring tightness'. The 29-year-old, who failed to reach Sunday's 100m final, is now a doubt for the 4x100m relay.
Meanwhile, Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis retained his pole vault title as he broke his world record with a jump of 6.25m.
The British star, a silver medallist at Tokyo 2020 and the last two World Championships dominated last night's final, powering away from the rest of the field to cross the line in 1min 56.72sec.
Hodgkinson's time was 0.43sec clear of Ethiopian Tsige Duguma, while world champion Mary Moraa collected the bronze.
The 22-year-old is the first British woman to win an athletics gold medal at the Olympics since her hero Jessica Ennis-Hill at London 2012 and only the 10th ever.
Hodgkinson is also only the third Brit to win the women's 800m title, emulating Kelly Holmes in 2004 and Ann Packer in 1964.
'That was incredible,' said an emotional Hodgkinson. 'I've worked so hard for this over the last year. I think you could see how much it meant to me when I crossed the line. I can't believe I've finally done it.
'I could feel Mary pushing me on the back straight, but I had composure and got to the line first this time. I'm now the Olympic champion for the next four years and no one can take that away from me.
'I'm just super happy I could bring it home, not just for me and my team, but for everyone.'
Tonight, Josh Kerr will look to claim Team GB's second gold medal on the Stade de France track in the men's 1500m final, when he takes on his rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the defending champion.
Britain also has an interest in tonight's women's 200m final after Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita both made it through.
Asher-Smith came second in her semi-final in 22.31sec. Neita also finished second in her race in 22.24sec and is now targeting a medal after her encouraging fourth place in Saturday's 100m final.
'I am a contender,' insisted Neita. 'Once you are in that final, anything can happen. It's an open race. I am feeling very confident.'
In the men's 200m, Zharnel Hughes withdrew from last night's heats due to 'hamstring tightness'. The 29-year-old, who failed to reach Sunday's 100m final, is now a doubt for the 4x100m relay.
Meanwhile, Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis retained his pole vault title as he broke his world record with a jump of 6.25m.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Keely Hodgkinson produced a perfect performance in Paris to win Olympic gold in the 800m and end
00:12her wait for a first global title. The 22-year-old is the first British woman to win an athletics
00:18gold medal at the Olympics since her hero Jessica Ennis Hill at London 2012 and only the 10th ever.
00:24Hodgkinson is also only the third Brit to win the women's 800m title, emulating Kelly Holmes in
00:292004 and in Packer in 1964. That was incredible, said an emotional Hodgkinson.
00:37I've worked so hard for this over the last year. I think you could see how much it meant to me
00:42when I crossed the line. I can't believe I've finally done it. I could feel Mary pushing me
00:48on the back straight, but I had composure and got to the line first this time. I'm now the Olympic
00:54champion for the next four years and no one can take that away from me. I'm just super happy I
00:59could bring it home, not just for me and my team, but for everyone.