Keely Hodgkinson, the British runner from Atherton, finally claimed Olympic gold in the women's 800m at Paris 2024, ending a streak of four consecutive silver medals in major finals. The 22-year-old had been thinking about this race since she was a 10-year-old watching Jessica Ennis-Hill win heptathlon gold at London 2012.
Hodgkinson's journey to the top was marked by near misses. She won silver at Tokyo 2020 behind Athing Mu, then repeated silver at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, losing to Mu by just eight-hundredths of a second. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she was caught in the final 25m by Kenya's Mary Moraa, and at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, she again finished second, this time to Moraa.
In Paris, Hodgkinson faced a field without Mu, who failed to qualify after a fall at the US trials. Moraa remained her main rival. But Hodgkinson, known for her composure, sat motionless in the call room before the race, focused solely on winning. Her patience and consistency finally paid off as she crossed the line first, securing the gold medal she had long coveted.
Hodgkinson's victory marks a turning point after years of silver medals. She had grown tired of finishing second, telling reporters she was 'sick of it'. Her coach Trevor Painter had devised strategies to overcome her rivals, and in Paris, everything came together. The win cements her place among Britain's greatest middle-distance runners.
