It’s within the French capital the place Hodgkinson will once more battle rivals Athing Mu and Mary Moraa in pursuit of an elusive international gold.
It was Mu, 21, who beat the Briton to Olympic gold in Tokyo, after which pipped her to the world title by 0.08 seconds in 2022. When Hodgkinson finally obtained the higher of the American finally yr’s worlds, she suffered a repeat of her Commonwealth Video games loss to 23-year-old Kenyan Moraa.
Earlier than Paris, Hodgkinson will purpose to make an early assertion when the ‘massive three’ of the ladies’s 800m go head-to-head on the Prefontaine Basic, which doubles because the Eugene Diamond League, dwell on BBC Three from 21:00 BST on Saturday.
“Sadly, I have been second each time. However we’ll try to change that,” says Hodgkinson.
“I feel it is a good rivalry. It is fairly thrilling for us all as a result of we’re all so younger, we’re all actually gifted, we work exhausting and all of us actually need it.
“We do not race one another that always so, after we do, it is a massive event.”
Whereas that showdown can be Hodgkinson’s first 800m of the season, she hinted final week on the progress she has remodeled the winter by setting a brand new 400m private better of 51.61 seconds.
Usually left floored by the gruelling classes she has been put via by coaches Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows in pursuit of her purpose all through heat climate coaching in South Africa, Hodgkinson’s streak of silvers have solely intensified her willpower to have a good time a gold on the Stade de France on 5 August.
“I really feel like I’ve actually grown up and I’ve a number of expertise now. I’m actually excited,” Hodgkinson says.
“I’ve spent three years looking for these little tiny one per cents. I’ve skilled a lot tougher than I did three years in the past and I simply hope that it is sufficient.
“All I can do is give it my all. It might imply so much if that [dream of winning gold] was to come back true.”
