Keely Hodgkinson’s recent comments spoke volumes after her character was brought up
Keely Hodgkinson’s latest comments showed her true colours after World Athletics chief Seb Coe heaped praise on her authenticity. Hodgkinson, 24, is set to make her 400 metres Diamond League debut in Rome this Thursday.
The race will act as preparation towards sustaining her dominance in the 800m, in which she secured a silver medal at Tokyo 2020 before clinching Olympic gold at Paris 2024. The Team GB star shattered the indoor world record over 800m in February and is eager to continue that momentum today.
However, based on Hodgkinson’s demeanour and the way she carries herself alone, you wouldn’t know she is an athlete performing at the pinnacle of her sport. That’s thanks to her remarkably humble character, which was recently praised by Coe.
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Hodgkinson showcased her authenticity once again ahead of Thursday’s Diamond League action by expressing how grateful she was just to be on the start line – something rarely heard amid the fierce competition of elite athletics.
Speaking on Wednesday at a press conference, Hodgkinson said: “I am really excited for tomorrow. I am grateful to have the opportunity to race some of the best girls in the world.
“I am very privileged to be on that start line with them, so I am hoping they pull something great out of me. I’ll be using tomorrow as a stimulus of fun, to be competitive and to also do something different.”
“I am genuinely in a place in my life where I have everything that I can want. I am happy, I love what I do. I wake up and go to work every day, I just love it.”
Coe, who has served as president of World Athletics for the past decade, said last month that he considers the Mancunian to be a breath of fresh air, hailing her as the most genuine person he knows.
The former Team GB star, 69, shared a story about running into Hodgkinson during her birthday celebrations as an example of how normal and grounded the Manchester athlete is. However, he suggested her all-round behaviour points to the same level of authenticity.
Speaking on The Sports Agents podcast, Coe was asked by Gabby Logan about Hodgkinson’s comments in March concerning West Ham United, tenants of the Olympic Stadium. “The GB team will bring back more medals to that stadium than West Ham have seen in their entire history,” the world indoor champion wrote on social media.
Coe said: “I love Keely because you will only get authenticity. There’s none of this ‘Oh, I’ll see how I feel tomorrow’ or ‘One match at a time’ – she absolutely tells it as it is. I think she’s joyous company apart from anything.
“This year is probably the biggest year in British athletics… we’ve got a Commonwealth Games, we’ve got a European Championships, we’ve got a great Diamond League. It’s probably the best year for athletics in the UK since 2017.
“Keely’s not wrong. I’m pleased she knows her worth… she’s off-the-graph good but if you look statistically she’s still got a couple of years before she hits her peak.”
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