After being topped BBC Sports activities Character of the Yr, Keely Hodgkinson already has eyes on breaking much more data subsequent season.
The 22-year-old, who grew to become Olympic 800m champion and went unbeaten over two laps all 12 months, will make her first look for the reason that summer season at a gathering named the “Keely Klassic”, which takes place in Birmingham on February 15, 2025.
The intention? To take down take down Jolanda Čeplak’s world indoor 800m report of 1:55.82.
Čeplak, who notably served a doping ban between 2007 and 2009, recorded that mark on March 3, 2002, which was the identical day that Hodgkinson was born.
Instantly after the Paris Olympics, Hodgkinson ended her season – citing a minor hamstring damage – earlier than taking a properly deserved break.
Keely Hodgkinson (BBC)
The Brit is now again in coaching and final evening swapped her high-altitude camp in Potchefstroom, South Africa, for the crimson carpet at Media Metropolis in Salford.
Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows, who coach Hodgkinson and simply in need of 20 different elite athletes at M11 Observe Membership, additionally received the BBC Sports activities Character Coaches of the Yr award.
Meadows, a world and European medallist over 800m herself, believes that something is feasible for the British middle-distance runner over the following couple of years.
“We’ve seen all of the laborious work she’s been doing behind the scenes and I simply know this would be the starting for Keely,” Meadows instructed AW. “She’s obtained large ambitions within the sport and she or he received’t cease till she’s received no less than one other gold medal at LA 2028. She’ll in all probability transcend that as properly.
“We really feel we now know the way Keely can get each the indoor and outside world 800m report. We all know when to push and again off and we’ve additionally trialled some issues in coaching. In fact it at all times depends on consistency. The large intention in 2025 could be to win each the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing and World Outside Championships in Tokyo. Sounds straightforward doesn’t it?!”
Jenny Meadows with Trevor Painter and Keely Hodgkinson (Getty)
Meadows additionally states that she thinks Hodgkinson will probably be finest positioned to interrupt Jarmila Kratochvilova’s world outside report of 1:53.28 – the oldest within the athletics books (1983) – in 2026.
“In two years it’s in all probability the proper time for the outside world report,” she added. “Bodily we all know Keely can run a 1:53 however 1:53.28 is one thing fairly completely different. So 1:53 one thing in 2025 and hopefully we will push on sooner or later.”
Hodgkinson’s finest occasions are 1:54.61 open air and 1:57.18 indoors, with the previous set on the London Diamond League again in July.
Painter echoes Meadows and is delighted that athletics was within the highlight at BBC Sports activities Character of the Yr.
In taking house the coaches award, the pair now comply with within the footsteps of the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
Keely Hodgkinson with coach Trevor Painter (Getty)
“It’s a bit of bit worrying that Pep received it final 12 months and Man Metropolis are on a demise this season,” Painter joked. “However in all seriousness, it’s unimaginable to comply with within the footsteps of these names.
“It’s additionally nice to maintain athletics within the public eye actually and the game is so properly considered within the nation. An Olympic 12 months at all times brings emotive moments and an Olympian usually wins it.”
Meadows added: “Lots of people have been saying ‘absolutely you guys are up for this award?’ I don’t suppose you are taking something as a right however I undoubtedly had a second once I noticed that Kelly [Holmes] and Jess [Ennis-Hill] had been going backstage.
“I simply nudged Trevor, not even taking a look at him, to ask if he was okay, simply in case we received it. I used to be so shocked. It was simply wonderful to see so a lot of our athletes and Keely’s household thrilled for us.”
Keely Hodgkinson celebrates with Trevor Painter (Getty)
Nevertheless, The Occasions has reported that Painter is aiming to satisfy UK Athletics bosses after being hit with a 62 p.c pay minimize.
Beforehand, those that coached international medallists within the UK had been paid an annual base price of £20,000 and acquired a £20,000 bonus for each athlete they guided to the rostrum.
That now stands at £15,000 a 12 months if their athlete wins a gold medal, with no bonus concerned. For silver and bronze medallists the determine is £7500.
UK Athletics additionally suffered an eight per cent minimize to funding forward of LA 2028, regardless of Nice Britain securing 10 observe and subject medals on the Paris Olympics – the most important tally in athletics since 1984.
Painter guided three athletes to the Olympic podium – Hodgkinson, Georgia Bell and Lewis Davey – within the French capital.
Trevor Painter and Keely Hodgkinson (Getty)
“Through the years, once I was teaching Jenny, we created a system that was self-sufficient,” Painter instructed AW. “There have been occasions Jenny wasn’t on funding so we needed to do it our personal manner.
“I feel that has set us up in a superb stance working with Keely. When she was a junior athlete she had no funding and we labored the identical manner at that time as properly. Her silver medal in Tokyo introduced riches and rewards for Keely and she or he’s now means examined out of it. We take no matter assist we will get from the nationwide governing our bodies however finally we attempt to be self-sufficient.
Meadows, echoing Painter’s sentiments, added: “We’ve now tried to commercialise M11 Observe Membership and that hopefully offers us the alternatives to work with some companions.
“If the funding is there from the nationwide governing our bodies then nice but when not we will have a look at different sources of earnings. We wish to preserve doing what we’re doing and we’re nonetheless in shock after profitable this award.”
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