Keely Hodgkinson Exclusive: Britain’s 800m Olympic Champion Eyes World Gold in Tokyo
Keely Hodgkinson is back in the spotlight. A time ago, many wondered if repeated hamstring injuries would decelerate her rise.
Moment, the 23-time Olympic 800m champion is preparing to turn lapses into energy, with her sights forcefully set on gold at the World Athletics Crowns in Tokyo.
Two hamstring injuries in a single season might derail most careers. But not Hodgkinson’s. If anything, her absence from competition has sharpened her edge.
Last summer in Paris, she didn’t just win Olympic gold. She owned the event. Her blistering performance not only made her a British sporting icon but also transferred shockwaves across the calisthenics world.
Life after Olympic glory
Hodgkinson has noway been one to hide down after success. Following her triumph in Paris, she celebrated on the strands of Marbella and on a yacht with musketeers and family. It’s her way, sharing moments with those who matter.
It’s this balance, say those close to her, that keeps her grounded. She trains hard, lives harder, and brings joy into a sport that often leans too heavily on grind and sacrifice.
Her own athletics meet, the ‘Keely Klassic’ in Birmingham, was proof of her vision to bring more glitz and excitement to track and field.
Yet, on the eve of that event, she revealed the injury that would sideline her for much of the season.
The recovery dragged on. Instead of the projected six weeks, Hodgkinson spent 376 days away from competitive racing.
When she eventually returned, it was worth the delay. In Silesia, Poland, she stormed to a match record of 154.74, the alternate-fastest time of her career.
Recognition beyond the track
This turbulent year also brought her an MBE, awarded at Windsor Castle in May. True to form, Hodgkinson didn’t keep the moment all to herself. She took coach Trevor Painter along, making him swap tracksuits for a sharp suit.
World Athletics president Seb Coe, himself a middle-distance legend, is in no doubt about her potential. “She is the real deal,” Coe told Sky Sports.
Asked if Hodgkinson could one day be the greatest of all time, his answer was clear: “Absolutely, she could. I have no doubt about that… she could end up at the top of the heap internationally if she goes on.”
The world record dream
Talk of world records inevitably follows Hodgkinson. The women’s 800m record, held since 1983 by Jarmila Kratochvilova at 1:53.28, has loomed large over generations.
Hodgkinson’s personal best sits just over a second behind. That gap may sound small, but in an event as intense as the 800m, it is a gulf.
Her team knows it. She knows it. But ambition still burns. Injuries may have forced her to park record attempts for now, but the long-term goal remains to crack one of athletics’ longest-standing records.
Gold within Tokyo
For now, the focus is simpler: winning her first World Championships gold. Hodgkinson has already taken silver at Eugene 2022 and Budapest 2023.
Tokyo offers the chance to complete her set and stand as both Olympic and World champion.
Keely Hodgkinson has taken British, European and Olympic titles, tommorow she sets out to become the 800m World Champion.
After Silver in Eugene in 2022 and Budapest in 2023 can the shining star of British track finally strike Gold in the stadium where it all began in Tokyo?… pic.twitter.com/TEx8KjOK4p
— Vinco (@VincoSport) September 17, 2025
Competition won’t be easy. Among her challengers will be friend and training partner Georgia Hunter-Bell, an Olympic 1500m bronze medallist switching down to the 800m.
Yet, Hodgkinson’s combination of speed, stamina, and composure under pressure makes her the clear favourite.
The team behind the talent
Behind Hodgkinson’s success is a close-knit unit. Coaches Jenny Meadows and Trevor Painter, a husband-and-wife duo, have shaped her into one of the world’s best.
Their training group, M11, is producing talent across middle-distance running, including multiple Olympians.
Painter explains the hard graft of high-altitude training in the Pyrenees and South Africa: “Down at sea level there’s about 20 per cent oxygen, but at altitude it’s less… so the body has to learn to work harder at everything.
Once it gets used to it, the rewards play out later on the track, but it can hurt!”
At just 23, Hodgkinson formerly boasts Olympic gold, Olympic tableware, and two World tablewares. With Tokyo on the horizon, she has the chance to become the defining athlete of her generation.
Beyond Tokyo, the timetable is packed with Beijing 2027, LA 2028, and conceivably a home World Cup in London soon after. Brisbane 2032 could see her still contending at the loftiest position.
The future looks wide open. For now, though, all eyes are on Tokyo, where Keely Hodgkinson, Britain’s golden girl of the track, aims to confirm what many already believe.
