Keely Hodgkinson has expressed her pride after a childhood dream became reality just before the UK's Diamond League meeting in London. The 24-year-old Olympic silver medallist is preparing to challenge the women's 800m world record at the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon, where up to 60,000 fans are expected.
Nike x Keely Hodgkinson Collection
Beyond training and event promotion, Hodgkinson has been busy designing her own apparel line in collaboration with Nike. The Nike x Keely Hodgkinson Collection includes training gear and running spikes, with a golden running shoe that may debut in London. She announced the collection to her 632,000 Instagram followers, posting a picture of the shoe and writing: "Dreams coming true. Inspired by what I love to wear in training and what I trust when it's time to lock in. My first collection with @nikerunning out now."
In a separate post, she shared images of her new gear and a throwback to her customised spikes from the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She wrote: "This was such a fun process! Thank you to Nike for bringing this to life. Such a dream. If you told 10-year-old keels she'd have her own collaborative collection out with Nike, she'd have died. Hope y'all love it as much as I do. The last slide is a throwback to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where I literally drew all over my own spikes so they wouldn't look the same as everyone else's. And I remember it crossing my mind, maybe one day I'd get my own."
Collaboration with Nike Designers
In an interview with Runner's World, Hodgkinson admitted she has been candid with Nike's designers over the years. "I've tried out prototypes and given my feedback – told them if they're great and told them if they're s***! And they take it very seriously," she said. "It's a privilege to be a part of it – not everyone gets to do that – so I've enjoyed it. And then bringing the fashion side of things in, that's my personality. That's how I get to express myself. We can all look a bit the same when we're racing, so it's nice to have some individuality. Some people are more daring than others, and that's okay. It's whatever is comfortable for you."
Season Challenges and London Diamond League
After winning gold at the World Indoor Championships, Hodgkinson has faced a difficult outdoor season, yet to secure a Diamond League victory this year due to a couple of injuries, including one from a training fall. However, she is expected to be in peak condition for London, where the women's 800m is scheduled to start at 3:51pm. Breaking the 43-year-old world record would electrify the crowd at West Ham United's home stadium.
