Hodgkinson and Reekie reach women’s 800m final in Day 4 morning session at Birmingham 2026

Keely Hodgkinson and Jemma Reekie advanced to a star-studded women’s 800m final during the morning session of Day 4 at the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships. 

Hodgkinson delivered the fastest qualifying time across both semi-finals (Leigh Harriers & AC, Trevor Painter) while Reekie (Kilbarchan AAC, John Bigg) won a dramatic first semi-final which saw world leader Audrey Werro fall before being reinstated. 

Elsewhere, Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove AC, Chris Johnson) and Yemi Mary John (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies, Alan James) reached the women’s 400m final and Morgan Lake (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC, Yannick Tregaro) delivered a season’s best performance to make the women’s long jump showpiece. 

In sweltering heat at the Alexander Stadium, Hodgkinson kept her cool to lead the field home in the second semi-final in a time of 1:57.38, her second sub-1:58 of the Championships. 

“It was fine,” the defending champion said. “I feel like the semis, I want to do as little as possible to get through.  

“It was similar to the heats, so happy with that. I just wanted to get it done with.” 

Reekie progressed from the first semi-final in a time of 1:58.61, as she avoided being caught up in the tangle and kicked on for the win to book her place in Friday’s final. 

She said: “It was a very messy race, I’m just glad I stayed calm and navigated it well. 

“This has been such a stepping stone for me to get back in and competing with those girls.” 

Anning delivered a season’s best time of 49.96 to earn second in her heat and qualify automatically for the women’s 400m final on Saturday evening. 

It comes only a week after she began training in spikes again after injury interrupted her build-up. 

She said: “I am feeling positive. You always want to come away from the semis with a win, but it’s the fastest I’ve run this season.  

“I am through to the finals, anything can happen on Saturday. I need to go back and look over the race and get ready to go again.” 

John followed up her silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay by also qualifying automatically in a time of 50.33. 

Charlotte Henrich (Invicta East Kent, Nigel Stickings) just missed out on a place in the final, after running 50.51 seconds to finish third in her heat. 

Lake earned qualification to the women’s high jump final with a final clearance of the qualifying standard of 1.91m. 

The 28-year-old’s effort was a season’s best to book her place in Saturday’s final, placing 15th overall. 

Also giving themselves a medal chance were Kristian Imroth (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Stephen Murphy) and Will Battershill (Bristol and West AC, Luke Gunn), who progressed to the men’s 3000m steeplechase final. 

Both were in the first heat of the day, and Imroth’s sixth place in a time of 8:36.20 and Battershill’s eighth place in 8:37.33 were enough to ensure they will go again on Sunday.

Zak Seddon (Bracknell AC) just missed out on joining them with ninth place in the second heat with a time of 8:37.54.

In his senior Novuna Great Britain & Northern Ireland Team debut, Ebuka Nwokeji (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Clarence Callender) progressed to this evening’s semi-finals of the men’s 200m, qualifying in 12th with a time of 20.95 seconds.

Benjamin East (Team Kennet Triathlon & AC, John Trower) was the last athlete to compete in the session and just missed out on a place in the men’s javelin final. 

East improved in the final round with a throw of 78.77m, but it was 11cm short of qualification as he finished 13th.