Keely Hodgkinson breezed through the opening 800m round of the European championships with her fastest time in a heat – before laughing about why she had worn sunglasses for the first time in a race. “I’m really happy and just excited to showcase where I’m at and hopefully have the performance I know I’m capable of. It was Werro, of course, who beat Hodgkinson in Stockholm in June in what was the third fastest time in history. It’s really great to be here at the European championships and I am expecting great things. “It’s a bit different because at the other championships I was never the best, the favourite athlete, and now it’s a little bit more pressure.