Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson is ready to be a party pooper as she chases world gold.
The 20-year-old Leigh Harrier reached Sunday’s 800m World Championships final after breezing through her semi-final on Friday night in Eugene.
The race is scheduled to take place at 2.35am UK time.
It puts her on collision course with the USA’s Athing Mu – who beat her to gold at last year’s Tokyo Olympics – for the first time in 11 months.
Great Britain’s Hodgkinson won silver in Japan and is ready to go one better and upset home favourite Mu in America.
“It just makes it more the sweeter if I come out on top,” said Hodgkinson, who won her semi in one minute 58.51 seconds. “It’s the first time (facing each other) since Eugene (Diamond League) last year, it’s quite good we haven’t raced each other in a long time.
“It builds up the excitement but it’s not just me and her in the run. You can’t be complacent.
“You just trust in your own ability really. You almost give more than you’d want to because there are so many girls looking for a place in the final. I’m just happy to be safe.
“Championships are where I want to be. It’s a really good opportunity to put everything out there. It’s not the end of the world if it goes bad but it’s really good if it goes great.
“It would be nice to add to the collection. There are a good five of us going for the medals.”
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