Rising from Olympic Underdog to Gilded Expectations.

Posted 4 months ago

The British teenager on the Tokyo track was left in awe of their own success.

Keely Hodgkinson stood on the track in Tokyo, her eyes wide and mouth open in amazement, after a race that changed everything for her.

Three years ago, she was an underdog at the Olympics. Now, she's considered a top contender for a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games.

"It's a special feeling," Hodgkinson says. "Exciting, but also a bit overwhelming. It's a whole different experience from before."

During the last Olympics, Hodgkinson was just 19. Tokyo 2020 might not have happened if not for the pandemic delay, but she made the most of it. She broke Kelly Holmes' 26-year British record and won silver in the 800m, her first major outdoor championship.

Since then, she's been on a whirlwind journey, winning the European Championship and earning another world silver in Budapest. Her determination and ambition are clear as she looks ahead to Paris and beyond.