Reason Keely Hodgkinson disappeared moments before British final race emerges

The Olympic champion was visibly upset at having to pull out in Birmingham

Keely Hodgkinson reportedly pulled out of the 400m final at the UK Athletics Championships as a precaution ahead of what promises to be an important summer.

The 800m Olympic champion was visibly distraught after pulling out of the event on Sunday at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, having previously taken up her position in lane nine for the race.

Hodgkinson walked to the side of the track, and was clearly upset as officials gathered round, before walking away from the race.

She was keen on competing over a shorter distance in a bid to improve her first-lap speed, and challenge the 800m record later this summer.

The current 800m world record stands at 1:53.28, and was set by Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova 43 years ago.

The 24-year-old had already broken the indoor world record with a time of 1:54.87 in France earlier this year, and winning the 800m at the European Championships remains her main goal this summer.

After her withdrawal from the weekend’s final, coach Jenny Meadows told the BBC Hodgkinson had “felt a little twinge in her last strides before the race”.

Hodgkinson was reportedly feeling anxious during the warm-up and on the start-line, amid fears that the injury could turn into something more serious, particularly after several hamstring issues last year.

Hodgkinson said: “I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent standing on the start-line, so I made the tough decision to step away and not race.

“I didn’t want to risk anything this summer.”

As for the race itself, Amber Anning recovered from a false start to retain her title, winning in a time of 50.16 seconds.

Shortly before Hodgkinson’s withdrawal, her friend and rival Georgia Hunter Bell retained her 800m title.

Bell led throughout to win by a distance in one minute 55.93 seconds.

That time was good enough to break the championship record set by Kelly Holmes in 1995.

Hodgkinson will now turn her attention to the Diamond League meeting, which will get under way in London on July 18.