Olympian Keely Hodgkinson: ‘Running itself is horrible, let’s be honest!’

O ne of the fastest women in the world is perched on a chair in front of me, her impeccably manicured French-tip nails rearranging a piece of stray lettuce from a chicken panini. She’s feeling remarkably fresh despite having gone to bed at 2am after dancing and drinking margaritas at Burberry’s London Fashion Week party. “Tequila,” she says, winking at me to suggest it’s the hangover-proof choice.

Because, for Keely Hodgkinson, the middle-distance runner from Wigan who won the gold medal for the 800m at this year’s Paris Olympics, losing control is not an option. She was the favourite to win, despite fierce competition from Mary Moraa, the Kenyan world champion. Hodgkinson sailed past Moraa at the Stade de France in August, finishing with a time.