Keely Hodgkinson, Team GB’s shining star, disclosed that she managed only ’90 minutes of sleep’ following an extensive night of festivities in Paris, expressing that the enormity of her victory is still hard to grasp.
The Olympic champion in the 800m event took a taxi directly from the Stade de France to a lively bar situated in the famed Pigalle district, celebrating her remarkable win.
Now, she is eager to find a ‘moment for herself to reflect’ as she prepares to meet her family at the beach and enjoy ‘a pleasant glass of rosé wine’.
Last evening, clad in Team GB apparel, Keely joined around two dozen friends and family at the French Flair bar to toast her stunning victory.
Keely Hodgkinson appeared on BBC Breakfast to discuss her recent win.
Keely revealed her exhaustion after the celebrations, stating ‘it hasn’t sunk in yet’.
They enjoyed drinks, danced joyfully, and reminisced about her monumental Paris 2024 victory.
In a video call to BBC Breakfast this morning, she candidly admitted her extreme fatigue from the exciting night prior.
When asked if her victory had set in, she replied: ‘No, it hasn’t.’
‘I’ve only had around 90 minutes of sleep, and I’m utterly knackered.’
‘But at some point today, I’ll take the time to appreciate this victory.’
The 800m runner, who earned her first Olympic gold after a series of global silver medals, expressed that ‘the roar’ from the British crowd made the experience even more memorable.
She shared: ‘For me, it was all about the focus on being first across the line, which I finally achieved after so many near misses.’
To celebrate with those closest to her, she plans to meet her family at the beach for a long-deserved break.
The 22-year-old was ecstatic after clinching her first Olympic gold following numerous silver wins.
Speaking with BBC Radio 5 Live this morning, she shared, ‘My family means everything to me. My siblings have made sacrifices as my parents supported my training, feeling the impact of that.
‘There was immense pressure as a contender for gold, which is a privileged position but can also be quite intimidating.’
‘I haven’t been on a family holiday since 2019. Later today, I will join them on the beach for a nice glass of rosé!’
Keely radiated excitement as she took an Uber from the race venue to the center of Paris on Tuesday night.
The taxi driver, Willy, told MailOnline: ‘Keely Hodgkinson, the British gold medal winner, was in my taxi.
‘She was thrilled to have won and was eager to catch up with her friends.
‘I dropped her off at a bar in Pigalle, in the heart of Paris. She was full of joy, smiling and giving the thumbs up.’
Keely Hodgkinson hit the town after securing her gold medal – Britain’s first in athletics at these Games.
Keely Hodgkinson and her trainer Trevor Painter greeted a member of her entourage in central Paris.
Keely met friends at the Flare bar in Paris’ Pigalle district, known for the Moulin Rouge.
Keely poses with fans after winning the women’s 800m gold medal.
A friend remarked that Keely was ‘clearly having a fantastic time’ celebrating her success.
Keely reacts just moments after crossing the finish line first at the Stade de France.
Keely was welcomed at the pub by about two dozen fans wearing custom-made white t-shirts emblazoned with ‘Team Keely 24’.
The shirts also featured the slogan: ‘Where we go one, we go all.’
Other members of her group were draped in union flags as they celebrated Keely’s win on the street terrace of the bar.
The athlete spent nearly two hours at the bar, near the Place de Clichy, conversing happily with friends.
Her father, Dean, and her coach, Trevor Painter, were close by, sharing in the joy.
With her victory in the women’s 800m final, Keely secured Britain’s first athletics gold medal of Paris 2024, watched proudly by her doting father.
She previously mentioned at a post-race press conference that she anticipated lacking sleep after her victory.
She exclaimed: ‘Nobody can take that medal from me.’
However, when the bar closed shortly after 2 am and members of her entourage sought another venue, the committed athlete opted to take a taxi back to her accommodation with her dad.
An observer noted: ‘Keely was clearly enjoying herself. She was laughing and celebrating with her friends.
‘I didn’t notice her with a drink, but she was definitely in great spirits. The excitement was palpable.’
Pigalle is known as Paris’s red-light district, famous through the works of artist Toulouse Lautrec and singer Edith Piaf, who depicted its vibrant atmosphere.
The 22-year-old has gained widespread recognition in athletics after her breakout performance winning silver in Tokyo in 2021. She followed that with silver medals at the World Championships in both 2022 and 2023.
Team GB’s golden girl also achieved a personal best of 1:54.61 in London just three weeks ago, securing her position as the sixth-fastest woman in history over the 800m distance.
Despite these remarkable milestones, her journey wasn’t without challenges. During her teenage years, she bravely faced a tumor that resulted in partial deafness in one ear.
Yet, showing incredible resilience, Hodgkinson worked relentlessly towards her goals, keeping her sights set on Paris 2024.
Keely Hodgkinson earned Britain its first athletics gold medal at the Paris Olympics by winning the women’s 800-meter final yesterday.
Keely’s enthusiastic father, Dean Hodgkinson, joyfully held her after her Olympic gold victory.
Though she achieved significant success, Hodgkinson had to overcome various obstacles along the way.
Hodgkinson’s tumor was non-cancerous, yet it still posed significant challenges for her at the age of 13.
Reflecting on her experience during a Sky Sports interview earlier this year, she shared: ‘I underwent a mastoidectomy. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it had been growing for ten years.
‘It pressed upon my hearing bones and was very near my spine. The decision was to either remove it or let it grow. If it grew too large, it could impact my spine and cause facial paralysis.
‘That was a frightening thought for a 13-year-old, but the risk was better than the alternative, even as the bones were compromised, which led to my hearing difficulties.’
The operation also affected Hodgkinson’s training schedule, as she had to limit her practice sessions in 2015, causing a slight dip in her performance at a youth level.
Despite the lengthy procedure, it was successful, and she took a month off from school to recover.
She later shared that the recovery was ‘an odd experience’, but she eventually returned to peak fitness.
‘I was unable to walk,’ she remarked. ‘Which is strange to think, as it relates to ear balance and the like.’
‘Thankfully, everything went according to plan; they removed the tumor, and I was left with only partial hearing loss. It’s manageable.’
Hodgkinson faced significant health challenges during her adolescence that impacted her athletic pursuits.
Hodgkinson exhibited exceptional talent from a young age, consistently topping county championships across age divisions.
Keely Hodgkinson rests on her father Dean Hodgkinson following a training session on March 17, 2024 in Wigan, England.
Hodgkinson’s early mentor, Margaret Galvin, recently spoke to the Leigh Journal about the commitment the young athlete displayed, stating, ‘She was always a phenomenal trainer, making significant sacrifices for her passion amid the distractions of youth.’
‘She always prioritized running; I recall her returning from family outings to compete before immediately heading back.’
Galvin also noted that participating in the Paris Games has been a long-cherished dream for Hodgkinson, which she has written down as a goal.
With her historic performance, Hodgkinson has now solidified her position among the British Olympic greats with her impressive victory in the 800 metres.
The 22-year-old flourished in Paris, finally claiming the global title she so desperately sought after earning silver on several previous occasions.
Hodgkinson made history as only the 10th British woman to clinch an athletics gold at the Olympics, the first since Jessica Ennis-Hill in 2012.
She also joined an elite group as one of only three British athletes to win the women’s 800m title, alongside Kelly Holmes (2004) and Ann Packer (1964).
‘It’s surreal to be a part of that legacy,’ Hodgkinson admitted. ‘Jess inspired me to return to athletics many years ago.’
‘Joining her and legends like Kelly to cement my place in history is incredibly special. It feels amazing to see the Keelys and Kellys come together.’
And what a journey it has been for Hodgkinson, culminating in a mere one minute, 56 seconds and some change.
Though it didn’t establish a world record or a personal best, it was sufficient to secure victory, surpassing Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma by 0.43 seconds, with world champion Mary Moraa trailing further behind by 0.27 seconds.
Keely Hodgkinson met expectations as the favorite to win Olympic 800m gold.
Hodgkinson’s victory marked the end of her wait for a global title at Stade de France.
The 22-year-old celebrated with a victory lap after achieving a long-awaited triumph.
Gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson captures a selfie during the Women’s 800m Final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Keely Hodgkinson celebrates her gold medal win with friends and family.
Hodgkinson previously earned silver medals at the last Olympics and two World Championships.
The British star ensured she was the first to cross the line, allowing herself a moment to revel in her success.
In that moment, Hodgkinson briefly covered her face with her left hand, tears welling, before accepting a sparkling crown from a fan and embarking on a victory lap that felt long in the making for the 22-year-old.
After placing second at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, as well as in both the 2022 and 2023 World Championships—narrowly missing out to Athing Mu—this moment served as sweet vindication.
Now let’s talk about silver medals. Silver is lovely, reflective, and visually striking. However, too much silver can add significant weight to an athlete’s shoulders. Over time, silver can lose its luster, becoming a source of frustration and pressure.
Hodgkinson has been forthright about her frustrations. She came into this race speaking of a ‘mission,’ and under the sticky French evening air, she accomplished just that.
‘That was absolutely amazing,’ she later stated. ‘I can hardly believe I finally achieved this.’
‘I am now the Olympic champion for the next four years, and no one can take that from me. I am overjoyed to bring it home.’
Keely Hodgkinson made history yesterday, becoming Team GB’s first female track and field athlete to win gold since Jessica Ennis-Hill.
Keely Hodgkinson is pictured with her former schoolmate, England footballer Ella Toone.
Keely Hodgkinson (l) trains alongside her sister Jessica Hodgkinson (r) at the gym on May 5, 2024 in Wigan, England.
Keely Hodgkinson is congratulated by her parents, Rachel and Dean Hodgkinson, after earning silver in the women’s 800m final at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on August 6, 2022.
Keely Hodgkinson is seen with her sister Jessica, mother Rachel, and father Dean during a family gathering.
Keely Hodgkinson poses for a portrait at Leeds Beckett University in May 2024.
Hodgkinson’s victory marks her achievement as Team GB’s first female track and field gold medalist since Jessica Ennis-Hill.
‘I’ve put in so much work over the last year,’ Hodgkinson stated. ‘You could see how much this meant to me when I crossed the finish line. I still can’t believe I’ve done it.’
‘Mary (Moraa) was right behind me during the back straight, but I remained composed and crossed the line first this time. I’m now the Olympic champion, and that’s something nobody can take away from me. I’m thrilled to bring it home.’
When asked if the gold medal would change her life, Hodgkinson replied: ‘I presume it might. I’m uncertain of what to expect, but I’ve prepared better than I did after Tokyo. A few years older, a bit blonder. We’re ready to go!’
Watching Ennis-Hill on Super Saturday ignited this train of determination; one can only speculate about how many aspiring athletes Hodgkinson will inspire.
Moreover, it invites curiosity about how much further she will rise, given that her coaches suggest she is still five years away from her peak performance.
Those discussions can wait, as current conversations already acknowledge her greatness. A key aspect of greatness at the Olympics is being prepared to give your utmost effort when it matters most, amid the greatest pressure.
For some, that pressure leads to triumph while for others it can be overwhelming.
Hodgkinson was present to watch Molly Caudery in pole vault earlier in the day. Greatness beckoned her, and Caudery had earned her opportunity. Unfortunately, she wasn’t mentally ready for it, the weight of the occasion was too much to bear. But that wasn’t the case for Hodgkinson.
With greatness watching and waiting, Hodgkinson certainly delivered a memorable performance.
True, she benefited from the absence of Mu, who didn’t advance past the US trials, stalling what could have been a thrilling rivalry. Yet Mu has never outpaced Hodgkinson’s personal best of 1:54.61 set this summer, and none of the competitors, including Moraa, came within two seconds of it all year, leaving no uncertainty about Hodgkinson’s strategy.
She charged to the front from the outset. This move served as both a declaration and a challenge – keep up if you can.
