Sports18 September, 20262 min read
Keely Hodgkinson Wins Athlos London 800m In Black Hooded Nike Speed Suit
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Hodgkinson won the Athlos London 800m in 1:56.40. She wore a custom full-body black hooded Nike speed suit.
Hodgkinson’s Athlos win
Keely Hodgkinson ended a rocky 2026 season by winning the 800 metres at Athlos London 2026 at StoneX Stadium on Friday, clocking 1:56.40 and pulling away over the final 200 metres. Hodgkinson, the British Olympic champion, did so while dressed in a black, hooded speedsuit that Reuters described as making her look more superhero than middle-distance runner. The BBC said Hodgkinson crossed the line in one minute 56.40 seconds and was presented with a Tiffany & Co crown as Athlos made its London debut.
Reuters also reported that Hodgkinson had finished second to Switzerland’s Audrey Werro in the 800m at last week’s World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, after revealing she had suffered a hamstring tear at the European Championships in Birmingham a few weeks earlier. In the same Reuters account, Hodgkinson said, “This is fun... life is supposed to be about enjoying it.”
Suit, science, and quotes
The BBC framed the outfit as a custom-made full-body speed suit, with Hodgkinson describing it as “like a year in the making” and saying it was “a mixture of fashion and speed and science all coming together for maybe the future of athletics.” In a separate Reuters report, Hodgkinson said of the moment, “I know, it's pretty sick,” as she discussed working on the project with Nike for a long time. Athletics Weekly described the suit as a one-of-one Nike creation designed specifically around Hodgkinson and the demands of the 800m, noting it was developed over six months with Hodgkinson’s input.
Athletics Weekly added that the full-length black suit included a hood and open back and used 3D-printed aerodynamic devices positioned across the suit to help reduce drag. Reuters reported that Athlos was created by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and that American Sha'Carri Richardson said, “It is going to continue to grow and the world is watching.”
Athlos format and stakes
Athlos London 2026 was staged as an all-women’s meet with seven disciplines and no qualifying rounds, with six athletes competing in each of the straight finals, and winners receiving $65,000. Reuters reported that prize money extended down to sixth place ($6,000) and that there was a $250,000 bonus for anyone breaking a world record. The BBC said the single-night meet included seven disciplines, each featuring six athletes, with money on offer for each position from a total event prize pot of $1.05m (£790,500).
Beyond Hodgkinson’s 800m, Reuters listed other champions at the event, including Sha'Carri Richardson winning the 100m in 10.80 seconds, Gabby Thomas taking the 200m in 22.13, and Marileido Paulino winning the 400m in 48.73. Reuters also said Ohanian created Athlos to give women’s athletics a fresh spotlight, pairing attractive prize money and athlete ownership opportunities with a more entertainment-focused approach, and noted that the London meeting marked the first Athlos event outside the US after two New York meetings.