Meeting Liévin 2026 Preview: Hodgkinson Targets World Record at World Indoor Tour Gold

The Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophée EDF returns to the Arena Stade Couvert in Liévin on Thursday, February 19, as one of the standout stops on the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold circuit.

Middle-distance stars headline a stacked programme, led by Keely Hodgkinson, Georgia Hunter Bell, Jessica Hull, Nadia Battocletti and Isaac Nader. The field events are equally compelling, highlighted by a world-class men’s pole vault clash featuring Emmanouil Karalis and Sam Kendricks, Katie Moon’s return in the women’s vault, and Leonardo Fabbri’s title defense in the shot put.

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Women’s 800 Metres

Keely Hodgkinson makes her third appearance in Liévin, where she won in 2023 in 1:57.71 before claiming her second European indoor title in Istanbul. She also finished fourth here as an 18-year-old in 2021.

The Olympic champion opened her 2026 indoor campaign with a sensational 1:56.33 world lead at the British Indoor Championships, slicing nearly a second off her own British indoor record and moving to third on the world all-time list.

Hodgkinson is now targeting Jolanda Ceplak’s long-standing world indoor record of 1:55.82, set in Vienna in 2002 — the very day Hodgkinson was born.

Her résumé includes Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2021 (where she broke Kelly Holmes’ British record), Olympic gold in Paris 2024 (1:56.72), and world bronze in Tokyo 2025 in 1:54.91.

She faces a deep field led by:

• Audrey Werro (SUI), Swiss indoor record holder (1:57.27) and Diamond League Final champion
• Tsige Duguma (ETH), world indoor champion and Olympic silver medallist
• Nigist Getachew (ETH), winner in Ostrava this season
• Anna Wielgosz (POL) and Clara Liberman (FRA), European indoor medallists

Women’s 1500 Metres

Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell returns after opening her season with a world-leading 4:00.04 in Karlsruhe, just 0.2 off her indoor PB. She won Olympic bronze in Paris with a British record of 3:52.61 and world silver in Tokyo 2025 in the 800m (1:54.90).

Challengers include:

• Jemma Reekie (GBR), world indoor silver medallist
• Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (CAN), national record holder
• Birke Haylom (ETH), double World Indoor Tour winner this season

Women’s 3000 Metres

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti returns to Liévin, where she set her national indoor record of 8:30.82. The Olympic 10,000m silver medallist and multiple European champion could target Laura Muir’s European indoor record of 8:26.41.

Battocletti enjoyed a remarkable 2024–25 campaign, setting multiple Italian records across 5000m, 10,000m, 3000m and road distances.

She faces:

• Freweyni Hailu (ETH), who ran 8:19.98 in Liévin last year — fourth fastest in history
• Hirut Meshesha (ETH), double world indoor bronze medallist

Women’s 2000 Metres

Jessica Hull makes her Liévin debut over 2000m. The Olympic silver medallist holds the outdoor world record over the distance (5:19.70) and Oceania records at 1500m and indoor 3000m.

Hull will attempt Genzebe Dibaba’s world indoor record of 5:23.75.

France’s Agathe Guillemot aims for both the French record and Gabriela Szabo’s long-standing European indoor mark of 5:30.53 set in Liévin in 1998.

Men’s 1500 & 3000 Metres

Portugal’s Isaac Nader, world champion and European indoor medallist, returns after finishing second here last year. He faces world U20 champion Reynold Cheruiyot and a stacked international field including Federico Riva, Andrew Coscoran, Stefan Nillesen and Festus Lagat.

In the 3000m, French star Azeddine Habz leads the field after opening with a 3:33.36 win in Karlsruhe. South African record holder Tshepo Tshite is among the key challengers.

Men’s 800 Metres

Belgium’s Elliot Crestan headlines after clocking a world lead of 1:43.83 in Ostrava — fourth fastest indoor time in history. He seeks a third straight Liévin victory.

He faces:

• Marcin Wyderka (POL), national record holder
• Mohamed Ali Gouaned (ALG)
• Slimane Moula (ALG)
• Samuel Chapple (NED), European indoor champion

Women’s 60m Hurdles

World champion Ditaji Kambundji leads a loaded field including:

• Devynne Charlton, world indoor record holder
• Pia Skrzyszowska, world leader at 7.78 this season
• Nadine Visser, two-time European indoor champion
• Megan Simmonds, Olympic bronze medallist

Men’s 60m Hurdles

France’s Wilhem Belocian faces Olympic silver medallist Daniel Roberts, European champion Lorenzo Simonelli, and Just Kwaou-Mathey.

Pole Vault Showdown

The men’s pole vault promises fireworks:

• Emmanouil Karalis, Olympic bronze medallist and 6.08m national record holder
• Sam Kendricks, two-time world champion
• Kurtis Marshall, world bronze medallist
• Menno Vloon, European indoor co-champion
• Sondre Guttormsen, NCAA champion
• KC Lightfoot, 6.07m US record holder
• Chris Nilsen, Olympic silver medallist
• Ernest John Obiena, Asian record holder

Karalis has cleared 6.00m twelve times in the past year and leads the 2026 season rankings.

In the women’s event, three-time Liévin winner Katie Moon aims for a fourth title and could challenge Yelena Isinbayeva’s meeting record of 4.89m. She faces Tina Sutej, Marie-Julie Bonnin, Wilma Murto and a deep international field.

Men’s Shot Put

Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri returns after back-to-back Liévin victories, including a 22.37m Italian indoor record. He opened 2026 with throws of 22.50m in South Africa.

He faces:

• Joe Kovacs, two-time world champion and three-time Olympic silver medallist
• Rajindra Campbell, Olympic bronze medallist
• Roger Steen, world indoor leader this season

Women’s 400 Metres

European indoor champion Lieke Klaver seeks a second straight Liévin win after her 50.78 victory last year. She has already won twice on the Tour this season.

She faces Czech record holder Emma Zapletalova.

Men’s Triple Jump

Olympic champion Jordan Díaz Fortún headlines against:

• Jordan Scott
• Lázaro Martínez, world indoor champion
• Yasser Triki, world indoor silver medallist

Update

Double 400m hurdles champion Femke Bol, initially scheduled to race the 600m, has withdrawn due to a foot tendon issue.