Keely Hodgkinson has been focused on breaking the 800m world record, with hopes for 2025 after a successful 2024.
Olympics 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson has become one of the most exciting middle-distance runners in the world.
After claiming gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, following her silver in Tokyo 2020, the 22-year-old British athlete has her sights set on even greater achievements. Her ambition? To break one of the longest-standing records in athletics – the 800m world record of 1:53.28, set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.
Could Keely Hodgkinson really achieve this extraordinary feat? With her rapid rise and immense talent, the possibility of her breaking the record seems more real than ever. Here are five things that could make her the next 800m world record holder.
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Hodgkinson’s impressive journey to gold has shown just how quickly she is improving. Her personal best of 1:54.61, set at the London Diamond League in July 2024, already places her among the top in the world, yet it remains just shy of Kratochvilova’s record.
Many see this as an indication that Hodgkinson is close to breaking the world record.
“Next year (2025) might be too soon, because it’s a big leap and there’s not many people at 1:54 let alone 1:53,” said Trevor Painter, Hodgkinson’s coach said in a past interview as per SuperSport.
“But with the advances in shoe technology and the advances in track technology, and the advances in our growth as a team and as a unit and pushing Keely, then yeah.”
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Keely’s coaches, including former world-class 800m runner Jenny Meadows, are confident that Hodgkinson can challenge the record within the next few years.
“We’re definitely nudging our way towards it,” Meadows said.
“A couple of years ago we would never have been looking at that world record thinking it was possible, but now you start getting a little bit giddy and excited, but trying to be realistic at the same time.”
But why is not Keely Hodgkinson racing today? After her golden performance at the Paris Olympics, Hodgkinson has taken some time off from competitive racing to focus on her training for the upcoming season.
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The decision to step back is part of her preparation for 2025, where she and her team are planning a full year of competitive action.
“Keely wants to work hard and get into great shape, but she’s also making sure she gets time to recover and train smartly,” explained Meadows.
With upcoming indoor and outdoor seasons, including the European and World Championships, Hodgkinson is carefully planning her race calendar to peak at the right times.
Keely’s main focus for 2025 is to continue building on her Olympic success. Her training at the Font-Romeu altitude training camp in the Pyrenees is key to her preparation.
The camp, located at around 6,000 feet, is ideal for athletes like Hodgkinson, as it boosts the production of red blood cells due to the thinner air. This natural increase in red blood cells improves an athlete’s endurance and overall fitness when they return to lower altitudes.
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This strategic training, combined with Hodgkinson’s growing strength and speed, is sure to lay the foundation for a strong 2025 campaign.
She’s already one of the world’s best, and her coaches are hopeful that the 2025 season could see her inch closer to the 1:53.28 world record.
“While there are ambitions for world records in 2025, Coach Painter and Meadows are not rushing Hodgkinson. “Gold is the only currency she wants to work in now,” Meadows said.
“She’s looking at it as though it’s really exciting, whether we can get physically in world record shape next year – 1:53.28 is still a big, big gap.”
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Despite her extraordinary talent and fast rise to the top, Hodgkinson remains remarkably grounded and approachable. Her focus on family and her close bond with her coaches keeps her connected to what matters most, even as her fame grows.
From her humble beginnings in Atherton, just outside of Manchester, to her training sessions in the Pyrenees, Hodgkinson stays true to herself.
“I asked for Sundays off from Trev. He said become Olympic champion and you can,” Hodgkinson recalled with a laugh, referring to her hard-working coach.
She has kept a sense of humor even in the most intense training moments, remaining focused on the journey ahead.
