Keely Hodgkinson, one of Team GB’s hot favourites for gold, has become Olympic champion in the women’s 800m.
The 22-year-old went into the games with a world-leading time for this year – and fulfilled that promise to take Britain’s first athletics Olympic gold for eight years.
She finished in 1:56.72, ahead of Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma on 1:57.15 and Kenya’s Mary Moraa on 1:57.42.
Pic: PA
Pic: AP
Hodgkinson looked composed and in control from the start, comfortably holding her lead down the final straight.
She grabbed a union flag, hugged Britain’s World Athletics boss Sebastian Coe and high-fived fans on a lap of honour.
Speaking trackside, she said: “I’m super happy… I’m now the Olympic champion for the next four years and no one can take that away from me.”
Hodgkinson had been focused on the top step of the podium after coming second in Tokyo three years ago and recently setting a new national record.
Her 800m success comes 20 years after fellow British runner Kelly Holmes won gold in the same distance in Athens.
It’s also the first Olympic gold for a British woman since Jessica Ennis-Hill triumphed in the heptathlon at London 2012.
Katy Marchant, Emma Finucane and Sophie Capewell won gold in the velodrome
Joe Clarke and Kimberley Woods also medalled in the kayak cross. Pics: AP
There was more Team GB glory on Monday evening as the women’s cycling sprint trio broke the world record three times on their way to gold in the velodrome.
It followed a silver and bronze for Joe Clarke and Kimberley Woods in the kayak cross earlier in the day, and a bronze in the mixed triathlon relay.
Read more:
Full list of Team GB’s Olympic medals at Paris so far
However there was heartbreak for pole vaulter Molly Caudery, the world indoor champion, who failed to make the final.
Team GB have now moved up to fifth in the medals table – with 12 golds, 13 silvers and 17 bronzes.
Biles won another silver on the last day of the gymnastics. Pic: Reuters
US gymnastics superstar Simone Biles also claimed more medals on Monday – but unusually they weren’t gold.
She won a silver in the floor final after landing outside the area twice, and finished fifth in the beam after an uncharacteristic fall.