Odira downs Olympic champion Hodgkinson to win Prefontaine Classic with season's best

Reigning world champion Lillian Odira underlined her status as one of the favourites for this year's Commonwealth Games after storming to victory in the women's 800m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday night.

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Odira produced a brilliant finishing kick to clock a season's best of 1:56.19, surging past Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in the home straight to claim top spot in one of the most anticipated races of the meeting.

Hodgkinson settled for second in 1:56.73, while American Addison Wiley completed the podium with a season's best of 1:57.70.

The victory marked another significant statement from the Kenyan, whose impressive form has continued since she captured the world title in Tokyo last September.

Odira has now reached the podium in every race she has contested this season, further cementing her reputation as the woman to beat over the two-lap distance.

Her latest triumph also represented an improvement from her previous Diamond League outing in Rabat, where she finished third after posting 1:57.27.

Before travelling to the United States, Odira had comfortably won the women's 800m at Kenya's Commonwealth Games trials at Nyayo Stadium, timing 2:00.44 to secure her place in the national team.

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Saturday's victory carries even greater significance as it came against a high-quality field led by Hodgkinson, who was beaten for the second successive Diamond League meeting after also finishing behind Audrey Werro in Stockholm.

Although neither athlete threatened the long-standing world record of 1:53.28 set by Czech legend Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.

The Kenyan looked in complete control over the closing stages as she unleashed her trademark finishing speed to leave the Olympic champion chasing.

Hodgkinson endured a difficult outing after arriving at the start line with both knees heavily strapped following a recent fall.

The Briton made a sluggish start and never looked entirely comfortable despite staying within touching distance for much of the race.

The Olympic champion has experienced an inconsistent campaign, having withdrawn from the 400m final at the UK Athletics Championships after suffering what she described as "a little twinge."

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She has also been racing over the shorter distance this season in a bid to improve her opening lap speed as she pursues the women's 800m world record.

For Odira, however, the result was another timely reminder of her growing dominance.

Having already secured world gold and maintained an unbeaten podium record this season, the Kenyan now heads to the Commonwealth Games full of confidence as she targets another major international medal and strengthens her credentials as the athlete to beat in the women's 800m.