How Team England's Georgia Hunter Bell struck gold in 800m final that 'didn’t exactly go to plan' at Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games
Updated 31/07/2026 at 23:02 GMT+1
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Team England’s Georgia Hunter Bell stormed to gold in the women’s 800m final at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games – but the race did not play out how she had drawn it up in her head prior to the gun going off.
Hunter Bell delighted with first Commonwealth Games gold medal as she reacts to 800m victory
Video credit: TNT Sports
It was billed as another showdown between Hunter Bell and Kenya’s Lilian Odira, but the Englishwoman ripped up that script to take a dominant victory.
Odira beat Hunter Bell and team-mate Keely Hodgkinson to 800m gold at last year’s World Championships, but she would not be denied at her first Commonwealth Games.
"It means so much," she told TNT Sports. "It’s my first ever Commonwealth Games, it’s my first ever Commonwealth Games gold, it’s my first outdoor gold medal as well, so it really means so much to me.
"I had a really good attitude today. It’s really strange being an athlete because you can doubt yourself a lot. Through the rounds you’ve got to stay focused, you’ve got to be aware, but you’ve also got to be confident, so getting that balance right is really hard.
"But today I felt really loved, really happy, really supported, so I thought as long as I give it my best, I’ll be happy."
There was some dismay in the TNT Sports commentary booth at how the race played out. Specifically, Odira’s decision to sit so far behind Hunter Bell was questioned, especially given the relatively slow pace of the opening lap.
That meant Hunter Bell had plenty left in the tank to streak clear on the final straight, stopping the clock at 1:59.51, more than a second ahead of Odira.
Ahead of the final, Hunter Bell had a plan for how she wanted to take it on, but as is often the case when it comes to elite-level sport, that is not how the race unfolded.
She added: "I know Lilian has got a devastating last kick. It didn’t exactly go to plan. I wanted to get out and be P2, so sit off the leader, but no one took it out, so I found myself at the front.
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"I was like, ‘I’ll just take it but keep it slow'. I’m not going to full gas myself on the first lap, so I always knew I was controlled.
"I knew I had something to give, so as soon as I felt a move on, I was ready to go. Gun to tape, not what the plan was, but very happy."
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