Double British 800m champion on qualifying for her first ever Olympics, chasing down Kelly Holmes and proving herself against people that are faster

Two weeks ago Keely Hodgkinson became British 800m champion for the second time and qualified for her first ever Olympics.

Her time of 1:59.61 at the Müller British Athletics Championships saw the 19-year-old beat Jemma Reekie and Laura Muir and, with Muir focusing on the 1500m, Alex Bell will join Hodgkinson and Reekie in representing Great Britain in the 800m in Tokyo this summer.

Just four days ago Hodgkinson impressed once again by setting a personal best of 1:57.51 at the Stockholm Diamond League to go third on the UK all-time list. Only Kelly Holmes and Kirsty Wade have run faster with Holmes holding the British 800m record with 1:56.21.

Safe to say, it’s been a pretty good few weeks for Hodgkinson and she’s confident of performing to her best in Tokyo.

“I don’t want to go to Tokyo and make up the numbers. I want to be competitive and be in that final. Once you’re in that final then anything can happen and you can reach for the stars. I definitely think it’s achievable that all three Brits can get into the final,” she says.

“Back yourself. As long as you’re healthy and not overdoing it then age doesn’t matter. If you’re on that start line then just aim to win as if you don’t then you don’t and if you do then that’s pretty cool too! Just reach for the stars and back yourself.”

Hodgkinson’s two stand out performances this year have both come in championship style races, the first of which was when she became the youngest Brit to win a European Indoor gold in March and the second being her victorious run in Manchester.

It’s no surprise to hear that she’s a fan of navigating through rounds and is excited to try and do it once again out in Japan.

“I love championship racing, I feel it doesn’t matter what time you run, it’s how you go through the rounds as there’s no pacemakers involved. I like to prove myself against people that are faster than me and I see it as a personal challenge,” the 19-year-old tells AW.

Reflecting on Manchester she says: “I think other people suspected that I wouldn’t win but I went into it wanting to win. It was just a little bit of relief [to win]. With the strength in depth, this year especially, all the girls just pulled it out the bag and to be a part of it was good. It will spur all of us in the coming years as it’s now difficult just to make the GB team and we’re all going to have to be on our toes. It’s nothing but good for the sport.

“I’ve watched Laura [Muir] run since I was 14 so to race against her now is quite cool. She’s a really good athlete and she grinds it out, she puts 100% in and I’ve got a lot of respect of that. I got to know her well in France and she’s a well grounded athlete, she respects the competition and she’s a role model for girls including me.

“With my family, there was quite a bit of drinking involved I think! My dad opened up a couple of bottles of wine and they were happy as they make sacrifices as well so we all celebrated.”

Defending champion @keelyhodgkinson wins a superb women's 800m final in 1:59.61 from @JemmaReekie's 2:00.12 and 2:00.24 from @lauramuiruns. All three are set for Tokyo!#MullerBritishChamps pic.twitter.com/uCM9gL682g

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) June 27, 2021

Hodgkinson is coached by Trevor Painter and his wife and former world 800m medallist Jenny Meadows, who has tipped the Wigan athlete to break Kelly Holmes’ 1995 national record.

“He [Trevor] definitely puts that belief in me and he can work out what kind of shape I’m in when I’m training. When we’re discussing tactics in a race it’s both of us having a chat and not him telling me what to do. He quite likes that I’m able to think only my feet. Training is a lot of fun, it’s a chilled environment and there are a lot of characters so it’s always a good laugh,” Hodgkinson says.

“He really believes in me and to have Jenny there for the experience is great. There are some of the girls that Jenny raced that I’m now racing like some of the pacemakers. Jenny has done it all and she passes on that experience so I’m really grateful for that.”

On breaking Kelly Holmes’ record, Hodgkinson adds: “I don’t know, I think I’d have to run out my skin! Obviously Kelly [Holmes] is still a second and a bit ahead of me and that record is some record. I was just really happy and training was going well. I knew what shape I was in and those fast races don’t come along often but there was probably a better way I could’ve run it as I was at the back. I got it done anyway and I’m really happy.”

The next time we’ll see Hodgkinson in action will be in Japan with Stockholm the last race she’s taking part in before the Olympics. Even though she set a personal best in Sweden, you just feel there is much more to come from the Leigh Harriers athlete.

“I should’ve been more at the front really quickly so I slowed down and I need to get more confident going off with that as I think I’d be able to hold my form. In terms of speed that’s what we’ve focused on in the past two years when I’ve been with Trevor [Painter] looking how to get me quicker over the 400m and that’s benefitted me over the last 200m,” she adds.

“I saw the front runners had ran 1:56 and I was thinking did I get that close [to a personal best]. Especially after last weekend in Manchester I just wanted to come out and do another good run and it was fast so it was good. I was going into it wanting to do well and I did run a new PB but you never know how races will go.”

The mindset and tactics surrounding 800m can be greater than other track disciplines with athletes jostling for position ahead of that all important kick and Hodgkinson proved that in Manchester as she went into the last 200m level with Reekie and Muir before pulling away.

“I feel like when you set off in the 800m you want to get yourself all right in the first 200m and then at the next minute you’re at 600m and the race is almost over! Compared to the 400m there’s more time and with an 800m there will be tactics. The sprinters stress me out! I couldn’t do their start. They’ve got to be so precise so at least I don’t have to do that!

“[On the kick] it depends on the athlete and you never really predict how the races will go. You might have something in your head but someone else may be thinking completely differently and they change the race on its head there and then. I’d say it’s instinctive how you can react to certain things.”

It’ll be interesting to see what kind of 800m races we see in Tokyo but one thing is certain and that is underestimate Hodgkinson at your peril.