Hodgkinson dominates Athlos 800m in London, wearing custom aerodynamic suit
Keely Hodgkinson won the 800m at the Athlos meet in London, finishing in 1 minute 56.40 seconds. The event, created by Alexis Ohanian, featured a $65,000 top prize and a Tiffany crown for winners. Hodgkinson wore a custom full-body speed suit designed for the occasion.
The Athlos meet marked its first expansion beyond New York, bringing its all-female format to London's StoneX Stadium with a sellout crowd. Seven disciplines featured six athletes each, with prize money distributed across all finishing positions from a total pool exceeding $1 million. Winners received a silver Tiffany crown rather than traditional medals.
Hodgkinson's season included an indoor world title and a 24-year world record, but was disrupted by a July fall and a recurring hamstring injury. She finished second to Audrey Werro at both the European Championships and the World Athletics Ultimate Championship before closing the year with this dominant victory.
This event may signal a shift in how women's athletics is packaged and promoted, blending competitive sport with entertainment elements like red carpets, DJs, and designer prizes. The substantial prize purse could influence pay equity conversations across the sport, while the fashion-forward approach may attract younger audiences and new sponsors. However, it also raises questions about whether spectacle risks overshadowing athletic achievement itself.