Keely Hodgkinson has revealed the social media comments that irritate her the most, as she addressed criticism over her dedication and explained her Instagram use.
Comments on work ethic
Speaking to Sky Sports, the 24-year-old said she receives a lot of comments questioning her work ethic, which she finds irritating. "I get a lot of comments about that, which really irritates me. I'm like, 'If only you'd known what I'd done today [in training]!'", she said.
She explained that the perception of an athlete in constant training is not sustainable. "Me and my friends love to mess about," she added.
A year of success
Hodgkinson has enjoyed a busy and successful year on the track. Indoors, she broke the world 800m record and took gold at the World Championships in Poland. Outdoors, she secured silver in the 800m at the European Championships in Birmingham and claimed victory at the London Diamond League meeting.
She was runner-up at the new Ultimate Championships in Budapest before winning the all-female Athlos meeting, wearing her new Nike catsuit.
Social media and fashion
Away from the track, Hodgkinson enjoys spending time with friends and pursuing her passion for fashion. She documents her exploits on Instagram, where she has more than 700,000 followers.
Addressing her social media use, she said: "It's purely for fun, I don't think too deeply about it. Athletes have a lot of time to kill, I can't run around all day!" She also mentioned starting a YouTube channel a year ago "to bring people on the journey about what it's really like to be a professional athlete."
Catsuit debate and future plans
Hodgkinson's all-black Nike speedsuit, which debuted at the Athlos meeting, sparked debate over whether it was within the rules. Nothing has emerged to indicate it falls foul of regulations, and she hinted she could wear something similar at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
She said the outfit made her feel "sexy" and as if she were wearing nothing at all. "I wanted to be comfortable but I wanted to feel a little bit sexy. The back's open and that makes it feel really cool. It feels like I'm wearing nothing, to be honest."
After a long season, Hodgkinson will combine downtime with training over the winter ahead of a big 2027, which will feature the World Championships in Beijing.
