Keely Hodgkinson (Trevor Painter, Leigh) was crowned Olympic champion with a sensational front-running performance in the women’s 800 metres.

The 22-year-old dominated the final from the front and when the late challenge came from Kenya’s Mary Moraa, she surged clear to claim victory in 1:56.72.

Hodgkinson became the third British woman after Dame Kelly Holmes and Ann Packer to win the 800m at the Olympics.

“I’ve worked so hard for this,” said Hodgkinson. “The crowd was just absolutely incredible. It felt like a home Olympics for me, there are that many Brits in the stadium.

“It just spurs me on and to celebrate with all of them makes the moment so special and I’m super happy. I’m super happy that I’ve been able to fulfil what I feel like I could do.”

Hodgkinson led the field through 400m in 58.4 that gave her plenty in the tank for a kick for home.

She has given special attention to her speed endurance, clocking a significant 400m personal best in May and competing in the one-lap event at the UK Athletics Championships.

That paid off in the home straight as she repelled Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma and Moraa, who won silver and bronze respectively.

Hodgkinson said: “I wanted to be up near the front anyway, probably quicker after the first lap, but doing the semi-final and the final back to back everyone was tired.

“It’s tough. I trusted myself, I could feel Mary coming at me down the back straight. But I showed composure and I got to the line first this time.”

Earlier in the evening, Daryll Neita (Marco Airale, Cambridge Harriers) and Dina Asher-Smith (Edrick Floreal, Blackheath and Bromley) ensured there will be two GB representatives in Tuesday’s final of the women’s 200m.

Neita continued her excellent Games by making a second final, having finished fourth in the 100m.

She led for the first 150m of her 200m heat before being passed by Brittany Brown of the USA, comfortably progressing with a time of 22.24 (+0.1).

“Two finals, you can’t knock that,” said Neita. “It’s an amazing achievement.”

Having registered the third-fastest time in the heats, Asher-Smith (Edrick Floreal, Blackheath and Bromley) put in another accomplished performance in the semi-finals.

Asher-Smith followed USA’s world silver medallist Gabrielle Thomas home in 22.31 (+0.2) to advance to Tuesday’s showpiece.

“It was good because I didn’t use much energy, I’m saving what I can for tomorrow,” she said.

In the first heat, Bianca Williams (Linford Christie, Thames Valley) delivered a season’s best run of 22.58 in still air that placed her fourth and saw her exit the competition.

“It was a better run than the heat,” said Williams. “It is my best time this year. I’ll take it but it’s not what I wanted. I wanted to run quicker, I know I can run quicker.”