By a combination of her own sustained development and determination, and the misfortune suffered by one of her biggest rivals, Paris represents Hodgkinson’s best chance yet of landing global gold after a series of near-misses.
The Briton has run one second quicker than any other woman this year after smashing her own national record in 1:54.61 at the London Diamond League a fortnight ago, having defended her European title in June despite battling illness.
With Athing Mu unable to defend her Olympic title after falling at the US trials, one of the ‘big three’ of women’s 800m running has been removed from the equation, leaving Kenya’s reigning world champion Mary Moraa as Hodgkinson’s greatest threat to reaching her goal.
Moraa qualified second in her heat, with her time of 1:57.95 the second-fastest overall behind Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia (1:57.90).
“[The heats are] worse than the final. In the final you know you’re just giving it everything,” Hodgkinson said.
“You’ve got to contend with people giving it their absolute all. You want to conserve energy but at the same time you don’t want to make any mistakes. Definitely glad that’s done, the semi-finals will be more fun.”
Mu’s absence has also opened the door for the other two Britons, with Reekie, 26, hoping to go one better than her agonising fourth in Tokyo and Gill looking to ride the wave of a sensational breakout season.
Reekie won the opening heat in 2:00.00, while Gill – Britain’s youngest Olympic track athlete in 40 years – finished third in her race in 1:58.83.
Gill said: “It’s the Olympics, it’s the best competition in athletics, and seeing my face on the screen I was trying my best not to cry.”