Joe McConnell
Keely Hodgkinson set her sights on breaking the women’s 800m record after winning gold at the Olympics.
The 22-year-old won gold in Paris on Monday night with a time of 1 minute 56.72 seconds, following silver medals at the Tokyo Games three years ago and at the 2022 and 2023 world finals.
The world record for the women’s 800 metres of 1:53.28 has stood since the 1983 World Championships, when it was set by Czechoslovakian Jarmila Kratochvilova, and Hodgkinson admits it is a record she will be aiming to break.
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Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson says she was always banking on winning gold before the final.
“It would be incredible,” said Hodgkinson, whose personal best currently stands at 1:54.61, set at the London Diamond League in June. Vscek News.
“It’s definitely a goal we’ve been talking about for the last couple of years, but can anyone come close to that goal?
“What we’re doing now in track and field, the way we train, the science we have now with the tracks and the shoes, I welcome that and think it’s a great thing.
“If I can get close, why not try? That would be an incredible achievement.”
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Miriam Walker-Khan reports from Paris on Keely Hodgkinson’s extraordinary victory in the women’s 800 metres.
With her victory at the Stade de France, Hodgkinson became the first British competitor to win a gold medal in athletics since Jessica Ennis-Hill’s triumph in the heptathlon in 2012.
It was Ennis-Hill who proved an inspiration to Hodgkinson from childhood, and she was delighted to bring the story full circle with her triumph in the 800 metres.
“It means everything to me,” Hodgkinson said. “I have so many people behind me; it’s an individual sport, but there’s a team behind it.
“I owe a lot to a lot of people, and this is our time to celebrate. I’m just super happy that it worked out.
“I can’t wait to see what comes of it and I think I’ve tapped into a little bit of history, so that’s good.”
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Favorite Olympics memory? Biggest inspiration? Meet Olympic and World Championship silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson as she prepares for this summer’s Games in Paris.
How to watch the Olympics on Sky
Stay up to date with all the action from the Paris 2024 Olympics on Vscek digital platforms and Vscek News every day from today until Sunday 11 August.
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