Keely Hodgkinson makes winning start to 800m world title bid in Tokyo

Great Britain's Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson began her pursuit of a first world title by cruising through to the semi-finals of the women's 800m in Tokyo.

Hodgkinson is the gold-medal favourite after running a world-leading time on her return to action in August, despite enduring a 376-day wait to make her competitive return after last summer's Games.

Two hamstring tears later, she secured back-to-back wins in her only two pre-championship races in August.

Returning to the stadium where she won Olympic silver as a teenager four years ago, the 23-year-old controlled her heat to reach Friday's semi-finals.

There, she will be joined by training partner Georgia Hunter Bell as the pair target a spectacular British one-two in the event.

"I don't like the rounds, they feel awful, they are awful. I just really wanted to enjoy being back in the stadium. It's so nice to be here," Hodgkinson told BBC Sport.

"It wasn't pretty or dominant, but it's nice to be safely through. It's been a long week waiting around. Whoever put the 800m last, thank you.

"I've just been looking forward to getting out here, at one point I didn't even know if I'd be here. It definitely means a lot, round by round I'm hoping it goes my way.

"It would mean even more than last year [to win]. I'm just trying to embrace it all."

Hodgkinson won her heat in a comfortable one minute 59.79 seconds - a time more than five seconds slower than her British record.

Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Hunter Bell, who chose to switch focus to the shorter of the middle-distance events in pursuit of another global podium, also began with victory, clocking 1:58.82.

Hunter Bell told BBC Sport: "We have been out in Japan for a long time, so it felt like Christmas morning getting out on track.

"Doing the 800m is the right decision. I feel like I have really got something to show - I have a high ranking and with my team-mate this was the year to do it."

Gold medal threats remain in the shape of Kenya's reigning champion Mary Moraa, Ethiopia's Olympic silver medallist Tsige Duguma and in-form Swiss athlete Audrey Werro.

However, British team-mate Jemma Reekie missed out after placing fifth in her heat.

More to follow.