by A newly member of the British Empire Keely Hodgkinson only started to really kiss his own significant impact after winning Olympic gold in Paris, say his coaches.
The 22-year-old woman crowned a 2024 sparkling by winning the sporting personality of the year in December, and 2025-inclusive launches with inclusion on the list of New Year’s honors for her athletics services.
Hodgkinson, then 19 years old, collected 800 meters of money at the Olympic Games postponed from Tokyo 2020 three years ago, but found his life forever after having upgraded at the Stade de France in August.
Jenny Meadows, who, alongside her husband Trevor Painter, was appointed winner of the year’s coach, said to the AP news agency: “Each time someone said to him before Winning the gold medal ”, you are a model, my young girl looks at you, etc., she is so kind that she does not see herself in this way. But now, I think she thinks: “OK, now I won an Olympic gold, so I understand that”.
“And she always says:” It’s so strange, the difference between money and gold “. And obviously, it was an Olympic game, it’s the biggest scene, but I think it has it, in a very beautiful and humble way. »»
“The values are very similar to ours, in that it is humility, it is hard work (and) it is a question of having fun,” said Painter, who added: “I have the impression that from gold, we have the real Keely, because there was all this pressure and this expectation exerted (she) at a very young age, and she had trouble facing to all this.
“But she has come out of this phase now, and now she is Olympic champion. She is back to this stupid girl that we have always known. She likes to laugh, a joke, and she is ready to wrap her sleeves and work hard. “”
The Hodgkinson season ended prematurely after taking a minor injury after bets.
She plans to mark her return to competition with an 800 -meter world record attempt in February during her own newly launched event, the “Keely Klassic”, on February 15 in Birmingham.
In September, the defending world joint medalist seeks her first world title when she went to the world championships in Tokyo.
Commenting on his last distinction, Hodgkinson said: “It’s so incredible to be recognized and to have received this award. This year was incredibly special for many reasons and it is such a nice surprise to have been honored in this way. Bring 2025. “
The president of world athletics, Lord Coe, said last month that “real” Hodgkinson had already reached the level of the big British.
Her triumph in 1: 56.72 made her the third Briton to win the Olympic title 800 meters after Ann Packer – which was also made MBE – in 1964 and Lady Kelly Holmes in 2004.
The only gold of Athletics of Great Britain in Paris was the ultimate gain for an athlete who rebounded last winter of an injury which had forced him to lose 10 weeks of precious training.
Hodgkinson fought the disease to defend its title at the European Championships in April, then lowered its own British record of 800 meters with a 1:54:61 declaration at the London Diamond League in July – making her the sixth woman The fastest in the history of its signature distance.
