Keely Hodgkinson celebrated her World Athletics Championship medal in Tokyo with a classic night out that included karaoke and a trip to McDonald's, according to her friend and training partner Georgia Hunter Bell. The 24-year-old 800m champion, who recently broke the world indoor record, was joined by Hunter Bell after they collected silver and bronze medals respectively at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Hunter Bell recalled the evening: 'It was late and we were like, 'It's time to go celebrate' so we headed straight for a karaoke bar obviously. It was just a couple of hours there, just a lot of songs and singing, and then we finished it off by going to McDonald's so just a classic night out really.' The duo performed songs by Natasha Bedingfield, Justin Bieber and Elvis Presley's 'Suspicious Minds'.
World Athletics president Seb Coe has praised Hodgkinson's genuine and down-to-earth nature. Speaking on the UNTAPPED podcast, Coe recalled seeing her out for her 24th birthday shortly after she broke the indoor world record. 'She's just completely normal, but she is incredibly talented,' he said. 'She's absolutely rooted to the north of England and that for me counts for a lot in life.'
Hodgkinson balances her gruelling training regimen with occasional social outings. She told The Times in 2024: 'I make the most of my off-periods, so when I'm training I don't feel like I'm missing out. I still go out with my friends, I'll get dressed up, go for the dinner part and leave when they head off to the club.' She also books one night out each September, this year heading to Manchester's Habbibi restaurant.
The Olympic gold medallist is now preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July and the European Championships in Birmingham in August, with her long-term target being the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. She won BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2024 after her Paris Olympic gold and a personal best of 1:54.61 at the London Diamond League.
