Keely Hodgkinson wears all-black catsuit to wow the crowds as she wins £50,000 prize for latest 800-metre triumph

Keely Hodgkinson wowed crowds with an all-black Nike catsuit last night as she powered to 800-metre victory and secured £50,000 in prize money.

The middle-distance runner donned the ensemble, which pulled over her head and covered her in the sleek material from palms to ankles – except for her almost entirely bare back – in London last night.

She admitted she was a 'little nervous' to walk out in the speedsuit, which was completed by iridescent spikes, but felt the all-female Athlos meet was the ideal place to debut the ensemble.

Athlos made its international debut at the StoneX Stadium on Friday night after two stagings in New York City. Red carpets, DJs, fashion and music are all part of its entertainment and digital-first ethos.

The 24-year-old walked out to pyrotechnic plumes on a strobe-lit stage to thumping music from a DJ before dominating the 800m in sunglasses and the Catwoman-like kit with a ponytail cutout.

She crossed the finish line in one minute 56.40 seconds, more than two seconds ahead of her closest rival. 

'I'm honoured they let me put this on show,' said the Olympic champion. 'I was a little nervous, walking out. 

Keely Hodgkinson wowed crowds with an all-black Nike catsuit last night at the StoneX stadium in London as she powered to 800-metre victory and secured £50,000 in prize money

Olympic champion Hodgkinson hinted the outfit could be here to stay, complete with a backless feature and ponytail cutout

Last night saw the first meeting of Athlos, a female-only event, outside the US

'The shades helped me block out the noise, but it was really fun and it's something I'll remember forever.

'Honestly this has been like a year in the making with all the adjustments and fittings. 

'It was a really fun process with the Nike innovation team. I think it's a mixture of fashion, speed and science all coming together, for maybe the future of athletics potentially.

'It was a real honour for them to choose me to put this out first. 

'We weren't sure when we were going to wear it, but in hindsight an all-women's event, which is all about the glitz and glamour and putting eyes on women, a bit of a moment was the perfect way to finish the season. So it's really exciting.'

Hodgkinson believes the suit meets legal standards, and while aerodynamics were of the utmost importance, she did negotiate one critical compromise.

She revealed: 'The science was like technically with the air drag you're slower with your hair out, but I was like, 'that's a non-negotiable. My hair is staying out.' I'm very much 'look good, feel good' [and that] mental and physical balance.'

Asked if everyone will be wearing the style by the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, Hodgkinson said: 'We might know some things that people don't.

Hodgkinson of Team Great Britain poses for a photo after victory in last night's 800m race

Hodkinson worked with Nike to craft the outfit and says she took inspiration from past looks worn by the likes of Cathy Freeman

After the race was over, she donned a black tracksuit with a white stripe detail

Hodgkinson celebrates her victory on stage after beating her closest rival by more than two seconds

'It was a test out there. This is not something we haven't seen before. Like Cathy Freeman and some other athletes from a while ago did something like this, and this is the updated new version, with the new technology.

'(Freeman) was before I was born, but I have seen the race and photos. It was really cool to draw inspiration from the past and make it your own as well. The style was a big thing for me.

'I wanted to be comfortable but I wanted to feel a little bit sexy, the back's open and that makes it feel really cool. It feels like I'm wearing nothing to be honest. I trained in it in South Africa in 37-degree heat and it was OK.'

After the race, Hodgkinson donned a black tracksuit with a white stripe detail as she celebrated her victory, which will see her take home $65,000 (£48,522) from the $1,057,000 (£790,266) meet prize pot.

Her daring fashion choice comes amid fresh debate over women's sportswear after Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka began donning increasingly fashion-forward looks to enter the court at grand slams.

She made headlines after wearing everything from baggy suits to neon tulle dresses and even a layered ensemble which appeared to be inspired by the Eiffel Tower. 

Some of her on-court outfits have been just as glamorous, drawing attention from fans and critics alike.

But Hodgkinson's outfit, while daring, has a way to go if it is to garner quite as many headlines.