Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson said she hopes to challenge for four major international titles this year, starting with the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade this weekend.

This year she is going for world indoor and outdoor titles, as well as European and Commonwealth Games honours.

“It’s a new challenge,” she said.

“It is definitely physically possible to do all four, mentally we will see. In championship competitions there is so much adrenaline and so much emotion, it’s quite tiring.

“My number one priorities for the outdoor season are the Worlds and Commonwealths, with it being a home games. For the Europeans I’d like to be there, but we will just see where my body is.”

Hodgkinson has already made a strong start to 2022, setting a new British record to win the 800m at the Muller Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham in February.

Who are the British hopes in Belgrade?

Great Britain hope reigning pentathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson and men’s 60m hurdles champion Andrew Pozzi will be able to retain their titles.

Johnson-Thompson, 29, has not competed since withdrawing from the Olympic heptathlon with a leg injury last summer, but received an invite from World Athletics to compete in Belgrade.

There are also high hopes for Hodgkinson, who is competing in the 800m and 4x400m, as well as Elliot Giles, long jumper Lorraine Ugen and sprinter Daryll Neita.

Marc Scott, who broke the European 5,000m indoor record earlier this season, is also included in the team.

Others to watch

In the men’s 60m, Italian 100m Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs goes head-to-head with reigning indoor champion Christian Coleman from the United States.

“Christian Coleman is going to be the man to beat,” Jacobs said.

“I will try to stay as close as possible to him and maybe dip my head ahead of him.”

The women’s 400m, which features Bahamas’ double Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo taking on rising star Femke Bol of the Netherlands, is another standout event.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s pole vault star Mondo Duplantis will be looking to break his world record for the second time this month.

What about Russia?

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, athletics’ governing body banned “all athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia and Belarus” from taking part in the tournament.

World Athletics had already suspended the Russian Athletics Federation because of doping violations, although some Russian athletes were allowed to compete as ‘authorised neutral athletes’ in track and field at the Tokyo Olympics.

Russian athletes who were previously granted ‘authorised neutral athlete’ status are included in the nationwide exclusion.

There have been pro-Russia rallies in Belgrade this month, with marchers showing support for Moscow after its military action.

World Athletics president Lord Coe said he is “not expecting any issues” at Stark Arena during the event, and added there is “certainly support for Ukrainian athletes” like there is for all other competitors in the Serbian capital.

“Track and field has historically always been a sport that has understood and accepted the fragilities of the political landscape, but has normally come together in a very cohesive and collective way,” Coe said.

“So I’m not expecting any issues in the stadium. We have all the right processes and systems in place.”

BBC coverage

TV presenters Jeanette Kwakye and Gabby Logan will be joined by former Olympic heptathlon champion Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill on Friday, world indoor 60m champion Richard Kilty on Saturday and marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe on Sunday.

On BBC radio, Alison Curbishley will be joined by former 400m runner Katherine Merry for live coverage of Saturday and Sunday’s evening sessions.