British 400m runner opens his season in style as Keely Hodgkinson shows fine early summer speed and Italians Fabbri and Furlani also shine

Charlie Dobson sliced more than half a second off his 400m PB as he coasted to victory at the Meeting Internazionale Savona in Italy on Wednesday (May 15).

His time of 44.46 lifts him from No.22 to No.6 on the UK all-time rankings and puts him in the frame to challenge for gold at the European Championships in Rome next month.

The Colchester athlete showed his ability when he won silver in the 200m at the World Under-20 Championships in 2018 behind fellow Brit Jona Efoloko, but he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons.

The 24-year-old went into this season with a 400m best of 45.11 but showed great form at the World Athletics Relays with a 43.63 split earlier this month.

In 2022 he also placed fourth in the 200m at the European Championships in addition to clocking 20.19 (and a wind-assisted 19.99) at that distance the same year.

In Savona on Wednesday, Mihai Dringo of Romania finished second behind Dobsons meeting record with 45.84 as Britains Lewis Davey was fourth in 45.99.

This is how Charlie Dobson ran an incredible 44.46 over 400m in his individual season opener

He is now sixth on the UK all-time list

Just look at his reaction pic.twitter.com/IkHaTPyaID

AW (@AthleticsWeekly) May 15, 2024

Olympic and world 800m medallist Keely Hodgkinson was also in action over 400m in Savona as she finished runner-up to Sharlene Mawdsley in a PB of 51.61 to Mawdsleys 51.43.

Hodgkinson missed the indoor season due to an injury set-back but has clearly enjoyed a good period of training during the second half of the winter and spring.

The meeting also saw Italian athletes in great form. They included Mattia Furlani as he soared to a world under-20 long jump record of 8.36m.

In the shot put, Italian Leonardo Fabbri threw 22.96m a world leading mark as he broke Alessandro Andreis long-standing Italian record. It also places Fabbri No.5 on the world all-time rankings behind world record-holder Ryan Crouser, Joe Kovacs, Randy Barnes and Ulf Timmermann.

Britains Scott Lincoln finished runner-up with 21.14m.

Zaynab Dosso also set an Italian record in the womens 100m of 11.02 (0.9) as Britains Jeremiah Azu won the mens 100m in 10.08 (1.4) in a race that saw Trayvon Bromell, the former world indoor champion from the United States, seemingly struggling with injury or cramp in fifth.

Alastair Chalmers was another British winner on the night as he clocked 49.10 to win the 400m hurdles.

Full results here