Keely Hodgkinson was able to live up to her word at the World Indoor Championships in Poland
Keely Hodgkinson was overflowing with confidence before producing two iconic moments at the World Indoor Championships. The 24-year-old clinched the 800m crown with a commanding display in Torun at the weekend.
The Team GB sensation triumphed in one minute 55.30 seconds, the second-quickest indoor time ever recorded, having established the new world record last month. Hodgkinson’s success was one of three British golds in less than 30 minutes. Her team-mate Georgia Hunter Bell won the 1500m event, while pole vaulter Molly Caudery also prevailed.
It marks the latest proof of Hodgkinson being in supreme form after recovering from the injury problems that disrupted her last year. Yet one of her coaches has revealed that the Olympic champion’s determination to improve can occasionally lead her to ignore their guidance.
Hodgkinson trains alongside Hunter Bell at the prestigious M11 Track Club, overseen by Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows. Hodgkinson’s preparation included cycling during altitude training in South Africa, where she would look to push beyond her limits.
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“Keely is supposed to do an hour some days on the bike and we know she’s done 90 minutes,” Meadows told The Telegraph. “So we’ve had to rein her back.
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“It’s great though. She finds it so boring in the gym on a static bike or the elliptical. It is nice for her to be stimulated. We have to be flexible and we have to let her enjoy life.”
Hodgkinson’s desire to maximise her potential was evident in the 4x400m relay, which occurred just an hour after her 800m triumph. Although the British team finished fifth, Hodgkinson once again stole the limelight by clocking the quickest leg of any competitor in the race with a split of 50.1 seconds.
The achievement didn’t shock the new 800m champion. “I’m so impressed with myself. The thing is I knew I could do it,” she told Citius Mag following the 4x400m relay.
“I was saying to these people, ‘Give me that f****** baton and I will give you a 50-point [time],’ so I’m ecstatic with myself.”
It appears that Hodgkinson’s training setup alongside Hunter Bell, who outpaced her in the 800m final at last year’s World Championships, is helping her ascent. M11 Track Club coach Painter revealed what Hodgkinson said shortly before winning the indoor title in Poland.
“Warming up, she was like, ‘I feel amazing. I won’t be surprised if I get a PB here,'” Painter said to The Telegraph. “I responded, ‘OK, your PB is a world record.’ She’s had all winter, not missed a session, so we’re seeing times now that she normally posts in summer already.”
Hodgkinson has previously expressed her ambition to edge closer to the 800m outdoor record of one minute 53.28 seconds, held by Jarmila Kratochvilova since 1983. However, she’s also taking a moment to savour her recent achievements.
“My word this year has been domination,” Hodgkinson told BBC Sport. “When I’m in the shape of my life, why leave it to chance? If you want to beat me, I’ll make you work hard for it.”
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