Kenya's Odira wins world 800m title with championship record in Tokyo

Lilian Odira of Kenya upset the favorite on the final night of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, winning the women's 800 metres in a championship record 1 minute 54.62 seconds while Great Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell and Keely Hodgkinson took silver and bronze in 1:54.90 and 1:54.91 respectively. Hunter Bell edged her training partner Hodgkinson by one one‑hundredth of a second after both were overtaken by Odira in the closing metres.

Odira, competing at the world championships for the first time, produced a stunning finish to claim her first global title and personal best, a run that continued Kenya’s dominance across the women’s distance events at these championships. All nine starters finished under 1 minute 58 seconds, underscoring the depth and pace of the final.

Hodgkinson arrived in Tokyo as the heavy favorite after claiming Olympic gold in Paris and posting a world‑leading 1:54.74 in August on her comeback from a 376‑day injury layoff. The 23‑year‑old had not raced for much of the season because of a hamstring problem and entered the championships with only a handful of races behind her. She led on the home straight but was passed on the outside as Odira and...