By a mixture of her personal sustained improvement and willpower, and the misfortune suffered by one among her largest rivals, Paris represents Hodgkinson’s greatest probability but of touchdown international gold after a collection of near-misses.
The Briton has run one second faster than some other lady this yr after smashing her personal nationwide file with 1:54.61 on the London Diamond League a fortnight in the past, having defended her European title in June regardless of battling sickness.
With Athing Mu unable to defend her Olympic title after falling on the US trials, one of many ‘large three’ of girls’s 800m operating has been faraway from the equation, leaving Kenya’s reigning world champion Mary Moraa as Hodgkinson’s best risk.
Moraa certified second in her warmth, along with her time of 1:57.95 the second-fastest general behind Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia (1:57.90).
“[The heats are] worse than the ultimate. Within the remaining you recognize you are simply giving it all the pieces,” Hodgkinson mentioned.
“You have to deal with folks giving it their absolute all. You wish to preserve power however on the identical time you do not wish to make any errors. Positively glad that is achieved, the semi-finals will probably be extra enjoyable.”
Mu’s absence has additionally opened the door for the opposite two Britons, with Reekie, 26, hoping to go one higher than her agonising fourth in Tokyo and Gill seeking to journey the wave of a sensational breakout season.
Reekie gained the opening warmth in 2:00.00, whereas Gill – Britain’s youngest Olympic observe athlete in 40 years – completed third in her race in 1:58.83.
Gill mentioned: “It is the Olympics, it is the perfect competitors in athletics, and seeing my face on the display I used to be attempting my greatest to not cry.”