Why is Keely Hodgkinson not competing for Team England at Commonwealth Games?

Jun 30, 2026 - 16:15

Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson is out of the England squad for next month’s Commonwealth Games

The golden girl of British athletics will not feature due to the demands of her competitive schedule.

Keely Hodgkinson at the UK Athletics Championships — Keeley Hodgkinson withdrew from the racing format which isn’t her specialty despite reaching the final

Instead, the 24-year-old will focus on this year’s European Championships, which take place in Birmingham this August.

Her exclusion is not related to her absence last week in the 400m final at the British Athletics Championship, which she withdrew from after feeling a ‘twinge’ prior to the race.

In March, Hodgkinson revealed: “I’m currently not going to be competing [at the Commonwealth Games].

“I love competing in front of a home crowd but it’s such a busy year with Europeans and the Worlds and I’ve done that many championships before in a year and it is a lot.

“I just had to decide on which one was best for me but I’ll definitely be supporting.”

Former Olympic medalist Katharine Merry also confirmed the reason on social media.

She said: “For those asking me and to confirm, Keely isn’t missing out, she chose not to compete.”

Who is in the team?

Reigning Commonwealth Games heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson is among the 63 athletes named on the England team.

The 33-year-old will be aiming to secure her third consecutive title after also winning gold in 2018 in Australia, with a boost of confidence after securing silver at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Hodgkinson’s teammate Georgia Hunter Bell will be representing England in the 800m, while Dina Asher-Smith is part of the women’s 4x100m squad looking to defend their title.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson winning — At the most recent Olympics in Paris, Johnson-Thomson achieved a silver medal in the heptathlon

Additionally, the 200m silver medalist Amy Hunt will compete in the 100m alongside Daryll Neita and Imani-Lara Lansiquot.

In field events, long jumper Jazmin Sawyers has been selected for her fourth appearance at the tournament.

Meanwhile in the men’s side, British record holder Zharnel Hughes will strive for individual glory after achieving second place at the last edition, while bidding to make it three consecutive victories for the 4x100m relay.

When is the Commonwealth Games?

The competition begins on Thursday, 23 July in Glasgow, Scotland, with 74 Commonwealth teams attending.

The tournament is an 11-day celebration among the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists mainly of former territories of the British Empire.

This includes nations like Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales.

Cameron Lynn, Emily Nicholl, Crystelle Lake and Niamh McCall pose during the 2026 Commonwealth Games Host Announcement

It features a wide amount of sports, such as: athletics, basketball, cycling, boxing, netball, swimming and more.

The events will take place across four different venues throughout the city, including the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Glasgow International Arena, Scotstoun Stadium, and the Scottish Event Campus.