Keely Hodgkinson has opened up about the sacrifices behind her running career and responded to critics who question her dedication on social media, after World Athletics president Lord Seb Coe praised her personality.
Coe's Praise for Hodgkinson
Coe, a two-time Olympic champion, spoke about Hodgkinson after she was spotted celebrating her 24th birthday between breaking the world indoor record and winning World Indoor Championship gold earlier this year. He described her as the most "authentic person I currently know."
Speaking on the UNTAPPED podcast, Coe said: "I was on my way out. I'd sort of done the early shift and she turned up, and it was her birthday. I mean, she'd only just broken the indoor world record. She was only literally a few days away from destroying the field and winning her world indoor title and she was just out celebrating her birthday. She's just completely normal, but she is incredibly talented."
Hodgkinson's Motivation and Sacrifices
Such nights out are rare for Hodgkinson, whose demanding training and competition schedule limits the social life most 24-year-olds enjoy. She remains driven to justify those sacrifices, with next year's World Championships and the 2028 Olympics as her targets.
Speaking at Nike's After Dark event in London, she was asked by DAZED who she runs for. She said: "Running is a very individual sport. I have to put myself and my training first, and that means missing out on certain things. So I guess it's everything I don't get to do. I'm out there to prove that all the work was for something."
Responding to Social Media Critics
Hodgkinson takes issue with people who question her commitment on social media, where she shares glimpses of her life outside athletics. While most responses are supportive, a small number of followers doubt her devotion to the sport.
Discussing her online activity, she told Sky Sports: "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!" Responding to those who scrutinise her commitment, she said: "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]!'"
Recent Season Results
Hodgkinson's schedule is lighter now that the outdoor season has ended, during which she won silver in the 800m at the European Championships before triumphing at London's Diamond League fixture. She then finished second at the inaugural Ultimate Championships in Budapest and won the all-female Athlos competition wearing her new Nike catsuit.
