Olympics - Keely Hodgkinson has forced the world of Athletics to take notice after 2021 success

ByAlice Reeves Turner

Updated 23/07/2021 at 03:13 GMT

Keely Hodgkinson has her sights set on a medal at Tokyo 2020 in Japan after a successful run out at the British Athletics Championships in 2021. The 19-year-old claims the Games are 'open' and she would be disappointed if she fails to go all the way: "I don’t want to go to Tokyo and make up the numbers. I want to be competitive and be in that final."

Keely Hodgkinson has her sights set on a medal at Tokyo 2020 in Japan after a successful run out at the British Athletics Championships in 2021.

In January, the 19-year-old ran 1:59.03 in an indoor 800m race in Vienna to become the fastest woman under 20 at the distance.

But her most impressive achievement was yet to come.

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At the Müller British Athletics Championships, which doubled up as Olympic Trials, Hodgkinson beat both Jemma Reekie, who just a year earlier had set the British indoor 800m record, and Laura Muir to win her place on the plane to Tokyo.

“Not being biased but it was definitely the most exciting race of the champs,” Hodgkinson said.

“The depth we have, it just made it even more thrilling and intense. I was just really relieved to secure my place. I didn’t want to leave it up to that third discretionary place.

" I really wanted to win, so I was pretty happy when I crossed the line.”

Now with her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics secured, Hodgkinson has her sights set on an Olympic medal.

She said: “I think I would probably be an upset girl if I didn’t make the final,”

I don’t want to go to Tokyo and make up the numbers. I want to be competitive and be in that final.

“I think it’s pretty open as to who’s going to medal.

“There are so many girls around that 1:56 or 1:57, so in the final I’m going to go for it and hopefully I’ll walk away with some metalwork… but we’ll see!”

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 23: Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain celebrates winning the Women's 800m during day two of the SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships at Emirates Arena on February 23, 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Get

Image credit: Eurosport

At the Stockholm Diamond League, Hodgkinson shaved a second off her personal best with a run of 1:57.51.

Despite this run placing her third on the UK all-time list, behind Kelly Holmes and Kirsty Wade, the young Brit was not completely happy with her race.

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“To be honest it probably wasn’t my finest race, in terms of how I ran it,” she said.

“There were a couple of tactical errors and I didn’t really go with the front and I probably should have done.

“But I got a nice shiny PB out of it, so I can’t be too gutted about it.”

“Hopefully I’ll get that kind of race to go that quick and maybe show that again. You never know.

“It’s there in the tank, waiting to come out.”

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