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In 2021, KEELY Hodgkinson amazed the world by earning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics when she was only 19 years old. She took her achievements to new heights at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she captured a gold medal.
At present, she is a leading contender for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2024 — here’s everything you should know about this remarkable athlete.
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Who is Keely Hodgkinson?
Keely Hodgkinson was born in 2002 in Atherton, a town near Wigan.
She hails from a family of athletes, with her mother Rachel having been a competitor for the Leigh Harriers club.
Her father, Dean, has also participated in the London Marathon.
Keely displayed her affinity for sports at a young age, joining her mother’s Leigh Harriers running club at the age of nine, along with swimming for the Howe Bridge Aces.
By the age of 10, she made an impression at the British Schools Modern Biathlon Championships in London.
She placed second in the 500m running event and eighth in the swimming 50m event — it was during this time that her father encouraged her to focus on running full-time.
In 2015, at merely 13 years old, Keely underwent surgery to remove a tumor in her ear, which threatened her running aspirations.
The surgery was successful, but she ended up 95 percent deaf in the affected ear — while recuperating, she faced a lengthy training hiatus.
At 16, she clinched victories in the England U18 and U20 800m events, captured gold at the European U18 800m, and set a new championship record.
In 2019, she adeptly transitioned from indoor to outdoor events, winning the British outdoor title at 18, thereby becoming the youngest to do so.
Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson enjoys the atmosphere with Manchester United fans at Old Trafford
Her senior debut came in 2021 after athletics had been interrupted by Covid. That year, she became the youngest-ever European Indoor champion in the 800m, paving her way to the Olympics.
Surprising Olympic Silver
At the Tokyo Olympics, Keely shocked audiences by securing a silver medal for Great Britain, breaking Kelly Holmes‘ British record that had stood for 26 years.
Post-Olympics, she earned two gold medals in the Diamond League, two at the European Championships, and two at the European Indoor Championships.
I wanted to prove not just to myself but to everyone else that I could be a multiple medallist
Keely Hodgkinson
Following her Olympic triumph, Keely openly shared her battles with depression, which emerged after she achieved her medal goal.
She expressed to Team GB: “I’ve shown how mentally strong I can be. The Olympic comedown is very real.
“It was quite challenging to be so young and to handle so many changes in my life.
“I didn’t return to university; I transitioned to a full-time professional career. I moved out, got my own place, and faced all these adjustments.
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“Then, you realize that you need to replicate what you achieved last year again, all year long, while trying to maintain that motivation.
“This time, I’m more equipped to handle such hurdles. I also want to relish it; I’m rediscovering my love for it.
“If I reach that final and give my all, I will be happy.
“After Tokyo, there was no pressure on me. The only thing I wanted to avoid was being labeled a one-hit wonder, someone who just got lucky once.
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“I aimed to showcase to myself and others that I could be a multiple medallist. Here we are, three years later, with even more medals, and it’s rather enjoyable!”
Prior to her Olympic success, Keely was pursuing a criminology degree at Leeds Beckett — she actually took a ‘gap year’ to compete in Tokyo but has since committed to being a full-time athlete.
Gold at Paris 2024
Keely achieved a significant milestone in her career by winning the gold medal in the 800m at the Paris 2024 Olympics on August 5th.
The British athlete delivered an impressive front-running performance in the final.
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She crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 1:56.72, becoming just the third British woman ever to win Olympic gold in the 800m event.
Upon her win, Keely stated: “I’ve undergone significant personal growth over the past few years, and this year has demonstrated the progress I’ve made.”
SPOTY Contender
In recognition of her Olympic success, Keely was named one of the six nominees for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
However, her promising season ended prematurely due to a minor injury.
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On August 21st, she revealed via social media that she would be out for the remainder of the 2024 athletics season, including the Diamond League finals in Brussels.
Throughout 2024, Keely had an impressive season, winning all nine of her 800m races.
Despite the injury setback, she expressed gratitude for achieving her goals this year and is looking forward to her return to the track in 2025.
Breaking Dame Kelly Holmes’ Record
Keely’s silver medal at the 2021 Olympics broke the British 800m record held by Dame Kelly Holmes since 1995.
She finished the race in 1:55.88, surpassing Holmes’ time of 1:56.21 and improving her personal best by two seconds.
Before her victory in Paris 2024, Keely once again broke the record at a Diamond League event at the Olympic Stadium in London on July 20, 2024.
She clocked a remarkable time of 1:54.61, making her the sixth fastest woman ever recorded in the 800m distance.
