She won't go anywhere without her Louis Vuitton handbag and wants a Porsche if she wins gold but Team GB's poster girl is just as driven on the track - meet the REAL Keely Hodgkinson Keely Hodgkinson is embarking on a mission to win Olympic gold with Team GB The 800m superstar arrives in Paris amongst the favourites to win an event Hodgkinson could win Britain's first female Olympics athletics title in 12 years By David Coverdale Published: 17:00, 26 July 2024 | Updated: 17:01, 26 July 2024 e-mail View comments When Jessica Ennis-Hill crossed the line with her arms aloft on Super Saturday, some 200 miles north of the London Stadium was a schoolgirl watching with wonder. The child glued to her TV back home in Atherton had recently fallen out of love with athletics and had switched her focus to swimming. Yet seeing Ennis-Hill crowned Olympic champion on that magical night at London 2012 changed everything for the 10-year-old – and she knew then she must return to running.
Inspire a generation, they said. Well, sometimes there is substance to a slogan. Because 12 years after 2012, that schoolgirl, Keely Hodgkinson, could be about to become Britain’s first female Olympic champion in athletics since her hero struck gold in Stratford.
‘It’s quite an honour to follow in Jess’ footsteps,’ says the 22-year-old ahead of her 800 metres heats in Paris on Friday. ‘If anyone sees me as the poster girl like she was, then that’s quite the achievement. Hopefully I can go on an.