Rome: Hodgkinson to test herself in the 400m

The Olympic gold medallist and indoor world record holder in the 800 metres, will compete on 4 June in Rome over the distance where she already impressed with the British relay. Tickets are available on TicketOne.

Another major name in athletics is set to arrive at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2026. On June 4, Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson will take to the track at the Stadio Olimpico. The British standout broke the world indoor record during the winter season with a remarkable 1:54.87 in Liévin. In Rome, Hodgkinson will run the 400 metres, a discipline where she could achieve surprising results after impressing in the final leg of the 4×400 relay at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun last March.

At just 24 years old, the Manchester athlete has already accomplished a great deal: she won Olympic gold in Paris, following a silver medal in Tokyo three years prior; earned three outdoor World Championships medals (silver in Oregon and Budapest, bronze in Tokyo); and became the world indoor champion in Torun, all in the 800 metres. Notably, just an hour after her victory in Torun, Hodgkinson ran the fastest leg of the entire 4×400 relay final, clocking an impressive 50.10 seconds, which helped her team secure a fifth-place finish. She will be looking to improve on her recent personal best of 51.49, set at the indoor arena in Glasgow.

The Golden Gala lineup continues to grow in excitement, with global stars like Noah Lyles in the 100 metres, sprint sensations Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Julien Alfred, and Amy Hunt in the 200 metres, along with Italian athletes Mattia Furlani, Nadia Battocletti, and Andy Diaz. Additional participants for the event will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2026 are available on TicketOne.