England's Georgia Hunter Bell won the gold medal in the 800m at the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow. Bell dominated the race, winning with a time of 1 minute and 59.51 seconds, thereby securing first place on the podium for Great Britain.
Before the race, Bell and her Kenyan compatriot Lilian Odira were considered the main favourites for the title. Odira is the current world champion, but Bell managed to surprise the competition. Bell's training partner Keely Hodgkinson, the Olympic champion in the 800m, played an important role in the outcome of the race by withdrawing from the Games.
This victory represents Bell's first outdoor title in her career. Although she won silver in the 800m at last year's World Championships, where she even beat Hodgkinson, this success in Glasgow marks a new step in her season. By that point, Bell had already won two gold medals that year, including the world indoor title in the 1500m in Poland earlier that summer.
The 32-year-old athlete has an impressive run of success in a short period. Alongside her gold medals, she won bronze in the 1500m at the Paris Olympics. Bell stated that she has four opportunities to win gold that year, indicating ambitious goals for the remainder of the competitive season.
Her return to the top of world athletics is particularly impressive given that she took a five-year break from the sport before returning during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is now preparing for the European Championships taking place next month, followed by a appearance at the inaugural Ultimate Championships in September.
