On the face of it, two hamstring accidents this 12 months alone do not seem like the most effective preparation for any try to grow to be a World champion. However – and it is a very massive however – these setbacks may find yourself making Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson a extra harmful, intimidating opponent.
Final summer time on the Paris Olympics, so spectacular was Hodgkinson’s run to gold that it was not only a British spotlight, however one which was exalted far and large. She was that good.
The ladies’s 800m discipline has some expertise in it and, whereas as much as Paris 2024 she was a part of the elite group, by the top of the Olympics she was out on her personal. She had gone to a different degree the place, damage apart, the world was fairly actually her oyster.
She had commentators open-mouthed, and one in all Workforce GB’s best middle-distance runners – certainly the President of World Athletics, Seb Coe – suggesting she may dominate the 800m for years to come back.
A 12 months of ups and downs
Being Olympic champion fits Hodgkinson. She’s not boring, and moderately than retreat to the shadows, she celebrated – in type. Aboard a yacht and on the sun-soaked seashores of Marbella, Keely took all of it in with an enormous smile and shared her success together with her family and friends.
Having identified Hodgkinson for some time, and her coaches Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows for even longer, it’s in Keely’s mentality to take pleasure in her success with these round her – those that are there to help. She is, and can be, beneficiant.
Celebrating, although, is definitely a part of one of many many causes Hodgkinson has grow to be one of many best 800m runners. She is aware of how essential the horrible days, weeks, and months of coaching are. She will get the stress of racing, nevertheless it’s not all she does or all she talks and thinks about. She has steadiness in her life.
So when exploring a brand new method to ship athletics to audiences by means of her ‘Keely Klassic’ meet in Birmingham final February, she noticed a method – by means of some glitz and glam in addition to top-notch performances – that athletics may entice new and youthful individuals to observe the game.
On the eve of the meet, although, Hodgkinson revealed an damage would stop her from racing that February weekend. The subsequent day, you might see the ache, frustration, tiredness, and certainly severe fear {that a} hamstring damage brings.
She informed Sky Sports activities Information that day in Birmingham that she’d must relaxation and rehab for six weeks. Then she would know the place her physique was and will plan her assault on the outside season – and finally, on the finish of the season, purpose to be topped world champion.
Her coaches had been optimistic, though with their expertise in high-performance sport, they knew a hamstring damage for any extremely tuned athlete will be tough to recuperate from – however even trickier to coach on to start with. You’ve got not simply received the vulnerability of an injured hamstring, however the remainder of the physique has been out of sync for a number of weeks.
There have been setbacks, and moderately than simply an preliminary six-week layoff, her accidents – though minor – delayed her preparations. Finally, she solely returned to the monitor one 12 months and 11 days – or 376 days, in the event you desire – after her Olympic gold medal victory in Paris.
That is a very long time away from the monitor, nevertheless it did not appear to have affected Hodgkinson. Did she come again with a delicate stretch out? A straightforward race? Nope. As an alternative, in August at a meet in Silesia, Poland, she ran a world-leading time and set a meet file of 1:54.74. Removed from shabby! In actual fact, she had solely ever competitively run quicker than that simply as soon as earlier than.
This 12 months, in addition to having some downs after which the journey again up, additionally noticed Hodgkinson obtain an MBE at Windsor Fort in Might. Who was together with her? Not simply household – she introduced alongside one in all her coaches, Painter. She made the previous rugby league participant don a wise go well with and be a part of her day, her success.
World data
It was hoped 2025 wouldn’t solely see Hodgkinson improve her two World Championship silver medals from Eugene 2022 and Budapest 2023 to gold at Tokyo, however probably see makes an attempt at each the World Indoor and Outside 800m data – although her hamstring damage has greater than probably, however not fully, put a maintain on these makes an attempt.
After successful Olympic gold, Hodgkinson’s velocity and race craft – together with ambition – noticed her solely inform Sky Sports activities late final 12 months at an altitude coaching camp within the Pyrenees that she needed to focus on the 2 800m world data.
Essentially the most reasonable, agreed by her and her coaches, could be an try on the World Indoor file – that was scuppered by her torn hamstring on the eve of the Keely Klassic in February. However… a longer-term plan was being hatched to beat the longest-surviving monitor World Report in ladies’s athletics.
The ladies’s 800m file has stood since 1983 – a whopping 42 years! It nonetheless belongs to Jarmila Kratochvilova, who ran for Czechoslovakia and set a time of 1:53.28. To offer you a way of the enormity of difficult this file – of which there’s some controversy, because it occurred throughout an period the place a variety of accusations round doping had been made – Hodgkinson’s private finest over 800m is nicely over a second slower at 1:54.61. Within the 800m, 1.33 seconds is a lifetime.
To match it with the boys’s 100m, it is like saying Usain Bolt’s quickest time is 9.58 seconds, however the world file is someplace within the 9.3s. It will be robust to interrupt at Tokyo. Though Hodgkinson is the quickest 800m runner on the earth this season, her finest time is a second and a half slower than the world file.
It will be a rare feat from Hodgkinson – so extraordinary and extremely unlikely that it is most likely unfair of me to even give the slightest suggestion a world file try is feasible, given her accidents this season. Additionally, it isn’t simply one thing that ‘occurs’.
Why ‘actual deal’ Keely will win gold
Hodgkinson cruised to an Olympic win
Barring an damage we do not find out about – or one Hodgkinson and her coaches do not find out about – she is the standout athlete to take gold in Tokyo and grow to be world champion. If she does, she would be the reigning Olympic and World 800m champion.
I am not placing a gold medal round her neck earlier than a race is run, although, as there are some nice runners who will problem. Maybe the best risk is from a pal and somebody who’s a part of the identical teaching group – Olympic 1500m bronze medallist from Paris 2024, Georgia Hunter-Bell, who has opted to run within the 800m at Tokyo and tackle her pal.
Olympic glory in Paris modified Hodgkinson by elevating her standing. She was solely 22 on the time, so she’s years from reaching her full potential – which is why so many observers are excited concerning the legacy Hodgkinson may lay down not simply now, however over years to come back.
Present World Athletics president Coe, one of many greats of middle-distance working within the Eighties – successful 4 Olympic medals together with two 1500m golds and setting a long-standing males’s 800m world file in 1981 – sees a succession of Hodgkinson triumphs for years to come back.
“She is the real deal,” Coe informed Sky Sports activities. Might she be the best of all time? Coe replied: “Absolutely, she could. I have no doubt about that… she could end up at the top of the heap internationally if she goes on. Touch wood, she has many seasons ahead of her, and she’s also got good coaches in Meadows and Painter. I’ve spoken to her enough times to know that mentally, she’s mahogany hard.”
So, she’s the actual deal in response to Coe – however to completely clarify why, it is essential to grasp she’s not simply mentally robust; she packs a punch bodily as nicely. The 800m is lung-busting. It is a distance the place runners are as near sprinting as they are often whereas having the stamina to final two laps of the monitor.
Hodgkinson is blessed with velocity. She’s an excellent 400m runner, and that may be an enormous asset within the closing phases of an 800m – as she confirmed in Paris final 12 months. None of her opponents had been shut as a result of she had gasoline left within the tank to mild the afterburners. That stamina comes from onerous graft: coaching, coaching, and extra coaching.
Her regime away from the flashlights of Olympic and World finals is nicely deliberate to get the most effective out of her bodily – nevertheless it takes effort. Late final 12 months, after having fun with the fruits of her success in Paris, she was dwelling and coaching at altitude within the Pyrenees. There’s much less oxygen at altitude, so coaching usually hurts extra as you gasp to get air by means of your lungs.
As Hodgkinson’s coach Painter informed Sky Sports activities: “There is a real point to it. Down at sea level there’s about 20 per cent oxygen, but at altitude it’s less – 16, 17, 18 per cent – so the body has to learn to work harder at everything. Once it gets used to it, the training and work is done. Hopefully then the rewards play out later in the season and on the track – but it can hurt!”
Any athlete will let you know – whereas grimacing – concerning the dreaded ‘winter block’ coaching. For Hodgkinson, over the previous 12 months it isn’t solely been altitude within the Pyrenees, but additionally in Potchefstroom, South Africa – an albeit extra nice dry local weather, however once more, the purpose is to work onerous. That is one more reason for her success to this point, and maybe extra to come back. Hodgkinson works very onerous, however (having seen it firsthand) is good at getting away from desirous about coaching, desirous about athletics, and transporting herself to a different a part of her life.
Athletics is essential to her – however so is having a life. She’s a fan of trend and of being with associates. Certainly one of her shut associates has been a photographer/videographer for her on journeys – doing a job, but additionally there to speak about something and the whole lot that is not athletics or coaching.
She and her household, in addition to coach Trevor, are all Manchester United followers – maybe the much less mentioned about that proper now, the higher – however United invited her to Previous Trafford final season to current her together with her personal framed shirt, with Gary Pallister doing the honours on the pitch at half-time towards Tottenham.
It is the general bundle Hodgkinson presents to her opponents and the watching public that additionally has an impact: steely onerous, decided, naturally gifted, but additionally with steadiness and a life away from sport. It is a psychological edge she simply possesses.
Once more, I will use a Usain Bolt comparability. When he lined up for a 100m ultimate – normally in lane 4 or 5 (the most effective lanes to qualify to) – the opposite eight or 9 sprinters would, sooner or later, let their gaze wander to Bolt. Whether or not strolling to the blocks, throughout warm-up, or simply earlier than the gun – it will occur.
Bolt knew this and smiled inside. A part of the job of successful was already achieved. It is turning into an analogous factor with Hodgkinson. Her opponents will simply take a look – and he or she’ll know.
The medal makers behind the scenes
Hodgkinson after receiving the award for BBC Sports activities Persona of the Yr 2024, alongside Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows
Nobody particular person on the elite finish of any sport is the only real cause for fulfillment. For Hodgkinson, she’s made it clear there is a massive crew behind her – from household and shut associates to coaches who’re considered associates.
Husband-and-wife duo Meadows and Painter have been taking care of her for a number of years. Their younger daughter regards Hodgkinson as an ‘aunt’ and infrequently involves coaching periods in Manchester, mimicking the drills and stretches being achieved by the group.
It provides to the ambiance – the sense of household and relaxed setting. Sure, they’re working onerous, however life goes on and is way more enjoyable in the event you can interact with the baby making an attempt to take you on over 30m!
Meadows was a severe middle-distance expertise herself, successful 800m World Championship bronze in 2009. Apparently, she was additionally a really helpful 400m runner – so it is no shock Hodgkinson’s uncooked velocity has been channelled into the 400m when wanted. Her coach for a part of her profession was her husband Trevor – himself a 400m runner and a rugby league participant coming by means of the academy at Wigan Warriors.
It was in Wigan the place the pair met, and Jenny requested Trevor to teach her. They’ve now constructed a vastly spectacular and profitable teaching setup referred to as M11 (named after the Manchester postcode they’re based mostly in), and Hodgkinson is not the one celebrated athlete on the books. We have talked about Olympic bronze medallist Hunter-Bell, however athletes from all around the UK are a part of the group, which specialises within the 400m, 800m, and 1500m.
Final 12 months, the pair had been teaching 19 elite-level worldwide athletes. Eight competed on the Paris Olympics, with three medalling. It is led not solely to awards for Hodgkinson, however for her coaches too. Trevor acquired the 2024 Teaching Achievement Award on the World Athletics Awards, and each Jenny and Trevor have been inducted into the England Athletics Corridor of Fame.
A crew in life and in work – however as Trevor has informed me, they’ve outlined roles. At an altitude coaching camp final November, Painter informed Sky Sports activities: “Jen can walk the walk and talk the talk, all that. She’s all over that, and I can do the plans. That’s what I did when I coached Jen, and now it’s similar – but Jen can bring all those plans to place.
“We carry various things to the occasion, I hope. We strive for the household really feel – it is higher for us, however higher for the athletes. Everybody is aware of they should work onerous, however enjoyable and just a little perspective away from all of it (coaching) goes a great distance.”
Tokyo and past
Ought to Hodgkinson win gold on the World Championships in Tokyo, she can be an Olympic and World Champion at simply 23 years of age. Add to that the Olympic silver medal she gained at simply 19, and two World Championship silvers – and he or she’s already constructing a good assortment. As a result of her age and expertise, the dimensions of that assortment is up for hypothesis. As Coe mentioned, she might be the best of all time.
Given 2025 has seen her deal with damage setbacks, taking gold in Tokyo could be a stellar achievement – however we might nonetheless be firstly of her medal haul if she’s profitable there. On the LA 2028 Olympics, she’ll be approaching her peak when it comes to age – she’ll solely be 26 – however for a lot of, she’s already the favorite to retain her Olympic title.
Earlier than that, in 2027, one other World Championships takes place in Beijing. Publish-LA 2028, the World Championships might be on residence soil in London. If she has the need to maintain going, she would solely be 30 when Brisbane hosts the 2032 Olympics.
It is all ifs, buts, and maybes – but when she stays wholesome and content material together with her sport, ‘mahogany onerous’ Hodgkinson might be on monitor to grow to be one of the crucial adorned monitor and discipline athletes of all time.
