Keely Hodgkinson secured Great Britain’s first gold medal in athletics at the Paris Olympics by winning the women’s 800-meter final yesterday, cheered on by her proud father.
At just 22 years old, Hodgkinson has become a prominent figure in athletics, rising to fame with a silver medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021. She followed this achievement with silver medals at the World Championships in both 2022 and 2023.
The star of Team GB also set a new personal best of 1:54.61 in London just three weeks prior, making her the sixth-fastest woman ever in the 800m.
Though she has enjoyed considerable success on the track, Hodgkinson’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. The athlete bravely battled a tumor during her teenage years which resulted in partial deafness in one ear.
Hodgkinson, who at one point struggled to walk due to her condition, remained focused on her racing ambitions and consistently kept Paris 2024 as a goal.
Keely Hodgkinson gave Britain its first athletics gold medal of the Paris Olympics by winning the women’s 800-meter final yesterday
Her adoring father Dean Hodgkinson holds her in his arms after she won gold at the Olympics
Despite her significant highs and successes on the track, it hasn’t always been plane sailing for Hodgkinson (pictured during childhood)
Although the tumor she faced was non-cancerous, Hodgkinson, then 13, found it incredibly challenging and emotional.
Reflecting in an interview with Sky Sports this year, she said: ‘I underwent a mastoidectomy. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it had been growing for ten years.’
‘It pressed against my hearing bones and was close to my spine. The choice was to remove it or allow it to grow.’
‘If it continued to grow, it might have caused spinal damage resulting in Facial Palsy, which is a terrifying prospect for a 13-year-old, but ultimately I lost some hearing anyway.’
The mastoidectomy also thwarted Hodgkinson’s training aspirations in 2015, causing a slump in her youth-level performance.
However, the operation was lengthy but successful, allowing her a month off school for recovery.
She described her recovery as ‘quite a strange experience’ before finally returning to form.
‘I was unable to walk,’ she continued. ‘It’s odd to think how an ear operation can affect balance.’
‘Fortunately, everything went as planned. They removed it, and while I’m left with some hearing loss, it’s not too severe.’
Hodgkinson, pictured in May this year, faced a tumour battle during her teen years which left her partially deaf in one ear and unable to walk for some time
Hodgkinson (pictured during childhood) was ‘always special’ and was topping county championships across age divisions even as a youngster. One of her early mentors claims the Team GB star ‘sacrificed a lot’ but remained dedicated to the sport
Keely Hodgkinson rests on her father Dean Hodgkinson following a training session on March 17, 2024 in Wigan, England
Hodgkinson (pictured in 2018) had an operation to remove the tumour at the age of 13
Keely Hodgkinson alongside grandmother Carol Hodgkinson, grandfather Joe Hodgkinson, father Dean Hodgkinson and sister Tilly Hodgkinson during a family gathering on May 6, 2024 in Atherton, England
Hodgkinson was recognized as ‘exceptional’ from a young age, consistently topping county championships across various age groups.
Her early mentor, Margaret Galvin, shared with the Leigh Journal last week how Hodgkinson ‘sacrificed a lot’ but maintained her commitment to the sport.
‘She was always a diligent trainer, clearly sacrificing many aspects of a typical young person’s life,’ Galvin revealed.
‘Keely consistently prioritized her racing; I recall her returning from family vacations to compete, only to leave again afterward.’
Galvin also mentioned that competing in the Paris Games had been a long-held ambition for Hodgkinson, describing it as a ‘goal in her diary.’
Hodgkinson has now etched her name in history as part of a special group of British athletes after triumphing in the Olympic 800 meters.
With her stellar performance at the Paris event, she has ended her search for a global title following years of silver finishes at the previous Olympic and World Championship events.
Hodgkinson is the 10th British woman to earn an Olympic gold medal in athletics and the first since Jessica Ennis-Hill in 2012.
She is only the third British athlete to achieve victory in the women’s 800m event, following in the footsteps of Kelly Holmes in 2004 and Ann Packer in 1964.
‘Being part of that legacy is surreal,’ Hodgkinson acknowledged. ‘Jess has been a significant motivator for me; she reignited my passion for athletics years ago.’
‘To join the ranks of legends like Jess and Kelly, sharing this moment with them, solidifies my spot in history. It feels incredible to see Kellys and Keelys unite.’
And what a magnificent display Hodgkinson delivered, spanning just one minute and 56 seconds.
Although it wasn’t a world record or even her personal best, it represented a slight improvement over her semi-final time and was notably slower than her recent London performance.
Nevertheless, it was sufficient for victory—because sufficient is excellence achieved. In that pivotal final at the Olympics, a job well done was besting Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia by 0.43 seconds while overcoming the reigning world champion Mary Moraa by an additional 0.27 seconds.
Keely Hodgkinson delivered on her status as pre-race favourite to win Olympic 800m gold
Hodgkinson ended her wait for a global title by storming to victory at the Stade de France
The 22-year-old went on a victory lap after securing a result that has been a long time coming
Gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson of Team Great Britain takes a selfie during the Women’s 800m Final on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France
Keely Hodgkinson of Britain celebrates winning gold with friends and family
Hodgkinson had been the silver medallist at the last Olympics and two World Championships
The British star made sure she was first to cross the line and have her moment to celebrate
Upon finishing the race, Hodgkinson was momentarily overwhelmed, covering her face with her left hand as emotions welled up. She then took a crown from a fan and embarked on a victory lap that felt long overdue for the 22-year-old.
Having finished second in the previous Olympics and World Championships, narrowly losing to Athing Mu, and suffering another silver loss to Moraa in 2023, this victory was a long time coming.
Silver medals are valued, yet having too many can bear a heavy weight on an athlete’s spirit, risking their luster and enthusiasm.
At times, Hodgkinson has clearly expressed her frustrations regarding this burden, refusing to mask her feelings with clichés.
Today, she arrived with a resolute ‘mission’, and on that sweat-drenched evening in France, she fulfilled it.
‘That was absolutely unbelievable,’ Hodgkinson exclaimed. ‘I can’t believe I’ve finally achieved this.’
‘I am the Olympic champion for the next four years; no one can take that away from me. I’m beyond ecstatic to bring it home.’
Keely Hodgkinson (pictured) yesterday became Team GB’s first female track and field athlete to win gold since Jessica Ennis-Hill
Keely Hodgkinson is pictured with her former school-mate England footballer Ella Toone
Keely Hodgkinson (l) alongside sister Jessica Hodgkinson (r) during a gym training session on May 5, 2024 at Robin Park Stadium in Wigan, England
Keely Hodgkinson is congratulated by her parents Rachel Hodgkinson and Dean Hodgkinson after claiming silver in the women’s 800m final on day nine of the Commonwealth Games at Alexander Stadium on August 6, 2022 in Birmingham, England
Keely Hodgkinson alongside sister Jessica Hodgkinson (r), mother Rachel Hodgkinson and father Dean Hodgkinson during a family gathering on May 6, 2024 in Atherton, England
Keely Hodgkinson poses for a portrait in May 2024 at Leeds Beckett University in Leeds
In doing so, Hodgkinson has become the first female track and field athlete from Team GB to claim gold since Jessica Ennis-Hill.
‘The past year has required immense effort from me,’ Hodgkinson noted. ‘My crossing the finish line showed how much this means to me. I can’t believe I finally achieved this.’
‘Mary (Moraa) was right behind me in the back straight, but I maintained my composure and made it across the line first this time. I’m officially the Olympic champion, a title that can’t be taken away from me. I’m so thrilled to bring this home.’
When asked if the gold medal would alter her life, the athlete from Atherton said, ‘I believe so. I’m uncertain of its impact, but I’m in a better position than I was post-Tokyo—older and a bit more seasoned. We’re all set.’
Witnessing Ennis-Hill during Super Saturday sparked this unstoppable journey, leaving us curious about which aspiring athletes Hodgkinson will motivate.
One might also wonder how high she will rise, as her coaches suggest she is five years away from peak performance.
But those discussions can wait—currently, we can already talk about greatness. The reality is that opportunities for greatness abound at the Olympics, contingent on whether one is mentally and physically prepared to put forth their utmost effort at pivotal moments.
For some, those three steps form a ladder; for others, they represent a daunting challenge.
Earlier that day, Hodgkinson saw Molly Caudery performing in the pole vault. Greatness awaited her, and as the top athlete this year, she was ready, but the enormity of the moment proved too great. However, it didn’t overwhelm Hodgkinson.
Instead, she delivered a spectacular performance that captured the attention of all.
True, she benefited from Mu’s absence after failing to qualify for the US trials, which momentarily stalled their captivating rivalry. But even Mu has yet to surpass Hodgkinson’s 1:54.61 time set this summer. Not one of the competing women, including Moraa, got within two seconds of it in all of 2024, leaving little room for misinterpretation of Hodgkinson’s strategy.
She took charge early on, making a bold statement—”keep up if you can.”
Hodgkinson (pictured during childhood) has now cemented herself in history after she joined the list of British golden girls by storming to Olympic 800 metres glory
Hodgkinson had seen off the challenge of her main rival, world champion Mary Moraa
Keely Hodgkinson (r) poses with Dame Kelly Holmes at Sport City Stadium on May 10, 2024 in Manchester, England. At the age of 19, Hodgkinson won silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, breaking the British record set by Kelly Holmes
Keely Hodgkinson alongside her father Dean Hodgkinson and sister Jessica Hodgkinson following a training run on May 14, 2023 in Rivington, England
Hodgkinson’s first lap was recorded at a leisurely 58.30 seconds; however, this time, she dictated the tempo and the trajectory of the race. Unlike previous competitions, she wasn’t boxed in and displayed confidence in her capability to outpace her competitors.
Yet with Moraa shadowing her on the right, the race remained dynamic—Moraa possesses impressive 400m speed and has historically outrun Hodgkinson. This could have instigated panic, but Hodgkinson remained composed, responding strategically to every pace change from Moraa.
As they approached the final stretch, Hodgkinson unleashed her decisive move, extending her lead even as Moraa struggled, leading Duguma to pass her.
While they gave their all, neither could reach the athlete who took command of the final with exceptional strength and determination.
