Who is Georgia Hunter Bell? GB running star pips Keely Hodgkinson in World Athletics Championships 800m final
While all eyes were on Keely Hodgkinson as she took to the track in Tokyo, another British running star ended up upstaging her attempt.
Georgia Hunter Bell shocked fans after as she overtook Keely by the slightest of margins to win silver at the 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Japan on Sunday afternoon. While the British pair battle the 2nd and 4rd place out between them, they were bettered only ny Kenyan track star Lilian Odira who set a new championship record of 1:54:62.
It was a huge moment for Georgia, who made a statement after choosing to compete solely in the 800m event and avoid her traditional 1500m specialism, setting up a battle between her and Hodgkinson. But she did not disappoint, scooping a silver medal for Great Britain and setting a new personal record in the process.
Speaking about her decision to focus on the 800m, she said: “I wanted to show what I could do in the 800m and I knew I would have to come into it fresh if I wanted to get a medal. Doing both is so hard. The competition is so good, so I am just really proud I put all my eggs in one basket, and am so happy, the fastest time I have ever run.”
Who is Georgia Hunter Bell?
Georgia Hunter Bell is a 31-year-old middle-distance runner. Georgia has specialised in the 1500m and duathlon in previous years, while also running in 800m events.
She claimed bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics for the women’s 1500m race. She beat Laura Muir’s British record in the race in Paris, finishing with a time of 3:52:61. She also won Olympic silver at the 2020 games in Tokyo for the 800m event.
Georgia previously won bronze in the 1500m final at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing earlier this year, and she also claimed the silver medal position in the same event at the European Championships in 2024.
Georgia is close to her fellow GB runner Keely Hodgkinson, with the pair previously acting as training partners under the guidance of Jenny Meadows and Trevor Painter. The pair raced against each other in the World Championship 800m final, with Georgia claiming silver while Keely claimed bronze after a photo-finish from the pair.