How Keely Hodgkinson can spark a ‘golden era’ for British athletics at Paris Olympics

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Keely Hodgkinson lit up the London Stadium on Saturday open image in gallery Keely Hodgkinson, centre, celebrates with fellow podium finishers Georgia Bell, left, and Jemma Reekie If we are fully succumbing to the futility of statistics we must also look behind the winner, because the world 800m rankings make for frankly astonishing viewing, from a British standpoint, heading into Paris. Golden girls, bring it on.” open image in gallery Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain celebrates winning the 400m in London open image in gallery Molly Caudery has not found her best form in recent weeks Yet, somewhat remarkably given Mo Farah is the sole GB athlete to have won Olympic gold since London 2012, Hodgkinson has British company at the summit of the world rankings in the form of 400m runner Matthew Hudson-Smith and pole vaulter Molly Caudery. open image in gallery Josh Kerr reacts after defeating Yared Nuguse to win the Bowerman Mile open image in gallery Jake Wightman was forced to settle for a place on the 800m team open image in gallery Ben Pattison stormed to victory at the British trials and is a medal hope in the men’s 800m Britain’s middle-distance depth is such that all three 800m men – world bronze medalist Ben Pattison, former world 1,500m champion Jake Wightman and Max Burgin – all harbour legitimate podium aspirations, as does Olympic and world 1,500m medalist Laura Muir, who broke her own British record earlier this month. open image in gallery Katarina Johnson-Thompson got in some long jump practice ahead of the Olympic heptathlon open image in gallery Dina Asher-Smith, left, and Daryll Neita in action at the London Diamond League Zharnel Hughes firmly believes he would have won Olympic 100m gold in Tokyo had he not suffered cramp in the blocks and false-started.