Keely Hodgkinson, the reigning Olympic 800m champion, is set to compete in the women's 800m final at the European Championships in Birmingham on Friday night. The 24-year-old has shared personal details about her future ambitions, recent injuries, and her character, as praised by World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.
Marriage and Family Plans
In an appearance on Welsh sprinter Jeremiah Azu's YouTube channel, Hodgkinson revealed that her biggest goal for the next decade is to start a family and get married. "Mine is I'd like to start a family and get married. That's a big thing for me," she said. Setting a personal deadline, she added, "I'll be 34, I'd like to think I'd had a baby by then and I really look forward to that point of my life at some point."
Her previous three-year relationship with a fellow athlete ended in early 2024 due to long-distance challenges. "Because I do what I do and put that first, we could go weeks, months and not see each other," she told The Times. "I'm not really interested in dating right now. I've never been on the apps. I like meeting people in real life."
Injury Setbacks and Resilience
In July, Hodgkinson finished runner-up behind Lilian Odira at a Diamond League race in Eugene, Oregon, with heavily strapped knees. She revealed she had taken a severe fall the previous week, leaving her unable to walk four days before the race. "It's shocking, to be honest," she admitted. "Four days ago I couldn't even walk, so I guess I should take that into consideration but I wanted a lot more than that."
She shared a photo on Instagram of herself in a medical room, showing extensive bruising, with the caption "Forward motion". This followed her withdrawal from the 400m final at the UK Athletics Championships in June due to a "little twinge." Despite setbacks, she remains focused on breaking the 800m world record set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.
Praise from Sebastian Coe
Sebastian Coe, World Athletics president, described Hodgkinson as "probably the most authentic person I currently know" on the UNTAPPED podcast. He recalled seeing her celebrate her birthday at a Manchester restaurant days before winning the world indoor title. "What you see with Keely is what you get. She is very funny, she's totally driven, but she puts things in perspective," Coe said.
Coe also noted her grounded nature: "She's just completely normal, but she is incredibly well talented. She's got a great coaching team around her. I'm probably going to lose whatever fan base I've got left in the south of England, but she's absolutely rooted to the north of England and that for me counts for a lot in life."
