Keely Hodgkinson Shares How She Became an Olympic Champion at Just 22

Welcome back to The Pursuit, where top athletes share what motivates them. Presented by Audi, Official Innovation Partner of Sky Sports. Today's guest is one of the biggest names in athletics. From Olympic gold in Paris to setting the world record in the 800 meters and winning the world championship title. And she is only 24 years old. She has reached the pinnacle of her sport and aspires to more. Welcome to The Pursuit, Keeley Hodgkinson. Thank you for coming to us. I've been waiting for this conversation because, you know, out of everyone we've talked to, you seem like someone who truly loves what they do. And I think it's noticeable.

Is this true? Is this Yes. Yes, I definitely think it's more that I just love the life I've created because of it. If you had told me 6 or 7 years ago, "You can do this just because you like running in circles?" This is actually kind of crazy. So I'm just really happy with where I am right now. I am very grateful for what I have and for the people around me. And I have the opportunity to simply earn a living by running around in circles. It's quite fun. So, I think it's pretty obvious that you were a very active child. Were you interested in different sports or maybe running was always your main thing?

Um, I was actually serious about swimming. So I swam too much as a child. Hmm, I've fallen out of love with this activity a little. Swimming is a difficult sport. For me, it was a bit unsociable. Very early mornings. All those early mornings when you just stare at the bottom of the pool, and eventually I just couldn't go on. But after swimming, I took up track and field, realized I was pretty good at it, and I stuck with it, growing from, I guess, age 10 until now, when I'm 24. So it took about 14 years What exactly attracted you to running in general before we move on to finding your distance? What was it about running that you loved then, that touched you, and that you still love to this day? I

'll be honest, probably just because I was good at it Yes? And I think, yes, the success was not bad. I was very good at the local level growing up, before I knew my level at the national or international level. I think I learned to love this process as I grew older, went through various trials, and built this career from a fairly young age. I learned to trust the process and enjoy it. Because I think that when you're in this sport and not everything goes according to plan, it gets harder and harder every year. You really have to love the idea of becoming better. How do you find those little one percent advantages? But in the end, I love winning, achieving my goals, and accomplishing them. And I get a little upset when that doesn't happen.

We'll come back to this later and talk about how you deal with it. But, just about choosing a distance: middle distance, especially for someone who started running at the age of 10, seems like a pretty adult choice. Yes, it is physically difficult, but there are so many different skills that are needed to participate and compete in middle distances. This is also a very tactical run that you also need to be able to overcome. So this is something that requires you to be a mature enough person to handle. Yes, I think I've learned a lot about this type of running over the years. I remember 2024, the Olympic year, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out my best way to run the 800 meters, and it was different from the others. And I almost don't

think there's any one right way, because there are so many different ways to achieve a goal. What do they say there? Yes. I have found a way that works really well for me and unlocks my potential, but if you talk to my competitors, they may train completely differently. But yes, this type of running has also changed a lot in recent years. I think if you look back at the Kelly Holmes era, it was very different than it is now, it's a balancing act between super endurance and long sprints. Everyone argues about which way is right, who is the best, etc.

This is a very interesting distance. I always say that it was the distance that found me. As a child, I did a lot of long- distance running and cross- country running. Never again. Oh, I also did some sprinting. I remember coming back when I was inspired by Jessica Ennis-Gill. I wanted to become a heptathlete. Seriously? Yes, but then I moved on to the 800 meters, which is probably the hardest part of the heptathlon, but it kind of came naturally. Tell us a little about this inspiration. It was in 2012, you were 10 then. Yeah, I was 10. And I think at that time I was n't really into athletics. I mean, I was really little, so it didn't really matter, but I kind of moved away from it.

I remember my dad telling me, "You're a great runner." And I replied: "I don't want to do this. This is difficult. I don't like it." Like: " Ta-ta-ta, chatter." And then I remember seeing Jessica Ennis at the London Olympics, she was the " golden girl" of the time, and she really inspired me to come back. And my coach at the time, Margo Gavin, who works at Lee Harriers, was very happy for me to come back, and I had a kind of love- hate relationship with the sport for a few years until I found myself and figured out what I wanted to do. And yes, since then I just haven't quit it. You talk about motivation to succeed, you won a youth title, got your first gold at 15 years old.

I think it was the English Championship. It was among athletes under 17, and you were 15. So does ambition grow with you, or do you think from the very beginning: "I want to become an Olympic champion"? You know what? I look back. I don't think I ever said to myself, "I'm going to be an Olympic champion." It's not because I didn't want to, of course, but it wasn't like, "I'm going to the Olympics." I will do it. I just moved year after year , because when you're 15, you don't compare yourself to 25- year-olds who do this and that, although, you know, young stars emerge who achieve incredible results.

Everyone has their own path, completely different. This was the first time I had established myself at a national level as one of the best at a young age. It's not like I won everywhere before. Me, I wasn't among the best at the England Schools Championships. Anyone involved in athletics knows what the English Schools Championships are. So I moved step by step, year by year. I won that first national title. It made me think, "Okay, next year is the European Youth Championship." It was my last year at school. And I thought, "I really want to get on that team." Getting on the team was my goal. And then I eventually won it. And then I thought: "Okay, I've become one of the best in Europe at

my age." Which is really cool. And from then on, everything just moved on. And then, before I knew it, I was at the Olympics, trying to prove that I was one of the best in the world. So it was a really cool, fun, and I think unique journey, and it's important to note that not everyone gets to experience this at But for you, as you said, it seemed like a natural progression at every stage. Even when you say about yourself: "I have declared myself as one of the best." Are you comfortable talking about yourself in these terms? For example, do you perceive yourself as separate: there is you, and there is you, the athlete who is still constantly

improving? Is it all one? I think there is definitely a division. I think such a division is simply necessary. If you look at it, technically we are in the entertainment industry. And when you go out there, it's like my version of the stage. This is a performance I'm preparing for, and I'm doing my best, practicing all the time for those two minutes, to make sure everything goes perfectly, while 10 other people in the race are trying to ruin it. So it's a very interesting dynamic. I remember Michael Owen talking about this later in his career. He said: " At a certain stage I was the best teenager in world football." And he said it very matter- of-factly. Without any pride, without any ego.

It was just the way it was at the time. And do you actually get used to describing yourself in such rather cold terms? That this is not self-praise. That's just the way it is. I was, I was one of the best. Yes, probably. I think the difference between sports is that in athletics everything is very clear. For example, if you win the World Cup or the Olympics, yes, you are really-yes, I am the best. But there are so many people out there, and it's individual that things can change every week. You can win one week and lose the next. But the important thing is that you want to win when it really matters. So yeah, when that happens, I'm very happy to be the best. But I also don't like to think too much in

that vein, because it's like the phrase: compete like you're number one, but train like you're number two. I have an incredible training group, but it's easier for me to accept that I'm not the best, and I want to continue to prove it, because every year there are people who strive for it. And I'm very proud to have consistently been one of the best for the past 6 years. This is very, very difficult to do. Not many people have been able to do this, and I am very proud of it. But there are always challenges along the way, and I don't want to shy away from the fact that doubt is also a reality. Everyone faces this.

I'm sure Usain Bolt also had doubts at one time. It's important to learn to deal with it and not let it affect your mentality, which is something I'm working very hard on. But yes, I definitely believe I'm still one of the best, and I'm looking forward to the What skills have you learned to deal with doubts when they arise? What are you relying on? Is it the realization that you have done the work? Is that what you keep coming back to, or is it believing in your innate abilities? What, what exactly keeps you grounded at times like these? Well, I always say: the stopwatch doesn't lie. I can't, I mean my training, I can't, uh, hide from it. If he says I'm in a certain shape, that's the truth. And if he says I'm in incredible shape, that's also true. So you

have to learn to trust this. Also, crazy self-belief. Opti-What is this word? Optimistic to the point of madness. But, as you said, he's not lying. So it may not be pointless. Yes. You just don't know what's going to happen. In sports, when people watch sports, everyone likes to make predictions or think they know what's going to happen, who's the best, when in reality you have no idea. You have no idea what can happen, especially in my sport where things can change every week, so you just have to go with the flow. So that's exactly what I do, and it's very interesting.

Can you train it the same way train your body? Do you think it is possible to train your mentality Yes, I think it's possible. I think that training the mind requires much more effort than training the body, because the body is always capable of many things. Sometimes it seemed to me that the only thing stopping you was yourself. I definitely had moments where I maybe didn't quite trust the stopwatch, thinking, "Seriously? Can I really do this?" And I think it was a learning process and a realization: "No, Keeley, because if you don't believe it, no one else will." So yes, you can hesitate for a long time in your own

head, and that is largely a learning experience in understanding yourself. And just staying true to yourself, which I think is very difficult to do in a world full of opinions and the availability of everything around. You just can't hide anywhere. When you talk about hiding somewhere, I remember that Tokyo Olympics you went to when you were 19 Yes. They broke Kelly Holmes' record. You won Olympic silver, but the circumstances of that Olympics were so strange because they were actually held behind closed doors. How did this process affect you? Did you feel protected because there wasn't a huge crowd, or maybe you just missed it?

Well, you know, at that time I had never seen a big crowd. So I remember going out for races. I hadn't been to the stadium beforehand and I thought, "Oh my God, this is the biggest stadium I've ever been to in my life." And it was completely empty, which was crazy. But you're so focused in those moments that I didn't really think about it. But 2021 was probably one of the easiest years of my life. I was a junior who was just starting out. It didn't matter what happened while I was there. It doesn't matter if everything went well, it doesn't matter if it didn't. The circumstances, you know, because of Covid and everything that was going on in the world, it was a privilege to be there anyway. So it was simple: just run.

Yes. And see what happens. This is a very nice, youthful, naive approach that I sometimes try to follow, because sometimes things aren't that serious. Yes. This is true. True for everything in life. It's just not that serious. I'm just running in circles and hoping for the best. But when you look back, what do you think you learned from that experience? I think I learned how mentally strong I was. I think that experience at a young age, and the complete opposite of being more experienced, have their own challenges, like external noise.

I think, being very young, I felt almost no pressure. I came in with an eighth-place rating, I think, but I knew I could win a medal, so the main thing was just to get through the qualifying rounds. My first experience like this at international championships, competing against people who have been doing this for so long. At such a young age, I realized I could do it, so I thought: why don't I do it again? So after Tokyo, the next year was very important for me to confirm the success. I didn't want to be a one-time teenage star. I wanted to stay in sports longer. Yes, and you succeeded. So, silver at the 2022 World Championships, another silver in 2023, and we're approaching 2024. At that point, you're thinking: How do I overcome this next barrier? Do

you think: I'm getting closer and closer, I'm in the game? My chances of winning gold are increasing. I mean, you probably almost think that statistically it's bound to happen because I was on a wave, new people and new challenges were coming. One thing I remember-I remember in Budapest 2023, I really thought I was going to win that day. And I'm like, "Yeah, I'm going to win." Tra-ta-ta. It didn't quite work out. Another silver. And I just remember thinking, "Okay, I won't be second anymore. "I will not allow this." And that Paris year was a bit difficult because I had injuries and other problems in the winter. But I just

stuck to my plan and constantly thought about what my psychologist and I call "gold medalist thinking." This meant putting yourself in the situation: if you were already an Olympic champion, what decisions would you make? the person you want to become would be worried about, as opposed to someone who might just be an Olympic medalist. Only an Olympic medalist. Of course, it's still a great achievement, but I was aiming for gold because I wanted nothing else. And I think there's another difficulty: when you're going for gold, there's a risk of not getting a medal at all if things go wrong. So I said to myself, "If I'm going for gold, the worst I'll get is second or third place." But that year I managed to remain

completely calm. I'm very proud of how I handled it. I was under a lot of pressure from the expected result, and I was only 22 years old. And although I had a lot of experience, it was certainly not easy at times. But I really accepted it because I kept thinking: if it were up to anyone else, I would want it to be me. And that's what sustained me throughout that time. Yes, and the reason why the pressure and expectations exist is because you accomplished a lot This is true. Yes, it seems I went through that season without defeat.

It was incredible. That was really cool. And that year, I think, was a real breakthrough, because I ran 1:54 at the Diamond League in London, leading from start to finish. It was really.I was in great shape. And that year it felt like I did n't even know who could beat me. It was a great year. You know, I can only compete with those who are, considering their form, and in our sport everything changes every year. And as you said, the tactics of running and how exactly the 800 meters are run have changed from Kelly Holmes' time to your time, and with

everything that's happened in between, and where exactly the emphasis is placed. It's usually decided by whoever is most successful at the time, and everyone wants to think that's how it all works. At that stage, as you mentioned earlier, you have already worked out what you think is the best way to run this distance. Yes. How easy or difficult is it to maintain that focus throughout the race when you know what will work for you, but someone might do something unexpected. Do I need to, do I need to change something here, or This is the most nerve-wracking part, because only in the first 100 meters do you understand who will start fast and who will try to confuse you and overtake you. That year I felt confident that no matter

how the race went, I would be very difficult to beat. This entire Olympic final went completely off the rails. Not at all according to plan. I had to run a lot faster in the 400 meters and make them work really hard, and I But you guys got ahead of yourself, didn't you? Yes, but that's the difference between Diamond League races and championships. There are no pacemakers there. You act purely based on your feelings and what is happening around you. We were all tired. We just ran the day before in the semifinals. Then it all comes down to who can quickly navigate to make the right decisions that will lead to victory. And about 250 meters before the finish line, I knew that victory was in my pocket. I just thought, "Okay, take it

easy." But everything went completely wrong. There are 200-250 meters left, and you think: "I will become an Olympic champion." Everything turned out completely wrong. But I felt really good, and when I got to the 400- meter mark, I thought, "Oh no, this is too slow." It's not like that, because when you get up to it, and I was in great shape. If you run too slowly, you open the door for other competitors. But I managed to control the pace well, run at my own pace, not let anyone pass me, save my strength for the last 100 meters and just break through. Because those last 100 meters were amazing.

Was that a nice feeling? Yes, definitely. That was cool. But there are still 100 meters to go in the Olympic final you suddenly realize that you have the strength to just break through and leave everyone chasing you behind. Yes, but I think at that moment you just say to yourself: I'm not an Olympic champion until I cross the finish line. Let me cross this line first. I have to be the first to finish, and then I can celebrate and all that, but it's just another race. I compete with these girls all year long. I've competed with them before. You just have to do it one more time, and it's that simple. You have to try not to overanalyze or complicate it, because I trained for this every day.

Yes, but it's just another race while you're in it. It's not just "another race" when you cross the line and become an Olympic champion. Yes, it felt very special. It seemed as if everything was destined for the stars that year. Again, the fans were incredible. It felt like a home championship because so many Brits came to watch. It's true, I will never forget Paris. It was a very special time. And it changed my life. Yes, you're right, there were so many Brits there and the reaction inside the stadium was like a home win. It really had that 2012 vibe. Yes, and you were at the center of it. But I remember sitting there with the other British

athletes and team members who were working on it, everyone was crying, hugging each other, they were just over the moon with happiness, and it was all because of you. You did it. You know, you're the kind of person whose successes, like Jessica Ennis's in 2012, are watched by others and seen how the audience receives them. You are that person. Probably so. I do n't really think about it too much. Yes, but you can't. Yes. I think I'm probably simplifying this too much to the human level. But I remember thinking: " Oh my God, I just got the same medal." I would have thought you got it. But it always comes later, I think, when it's all behind us

. Because until that moment, you only think about how it all has to happen. I think, you know, getting to the top is one thing, but the consequences that come with it and staying there is a whole other thing. Yes. So what was the first thing you did as soon as.as soon as it was over, not necessarily on the track. Did you go somewhere? Did you have a vacation planned after that? My family went to Marbella, so I joined them for a few days. A nice little. Was it important for you to get this time off?

I think it's just because of how exhausted you are after the championships. So many emotions were spilled out. You could train, but believe me, training will be terrible after the championships because you just.you didn't sleep. Maybe you drank something. I would be surprised if I heard that. It's pretty exhausting, you know, when you're emotionally drained, even if the emotions are positive. That's a lot to go through. So, I think, yes, it was important to just let the body reboot. And I think in sports you move on very quickly to the next, the next, and the next task. And I just said to myself, "No, I really have to enjoy this, because I hope it happens again but you never know for sure." "You don't know what's around the

corner." And yet, you hear so many sports stars at the end of their careers say, "I wish I had enjoyed those big moments more." "I wish I had stopped and absorbed it." So, to have that realization at 22 years old Yes, I tried. Yes, but. I just wanted to be, so to speak, present in the moment. I remember everything in Tokyo was like a fog, I felt confused. So in Paris I said to myself: "No, I really want to be here and now." I did n't spend too much time on my phone. I enjoyed, you know, the whole Olympic Village experience, because it's a cool experience in itself. This is very different from championships. And I wanted to be able to remember that moment very well.

Yes. When you have a chance to rest, is it easy for you to do so, and then is it easy to get back into your usual rhythm if you spend a few days with your family after becoming an Olympic champion? Is it easy to wake up the next morning and say, "Okay, I'm just Keely again"? and then a few days later you come back and think, "Okay, now I'm Keely, the Olympic champion." Well, yes, because to my family I'll always just be Kili-daughter, sister, you know, cousin. Um, I have a wonderful family. They support me a lot. They always help me stay grounded and very humble. So I just enjoy spending time with them.

This is how I spend a lot of time away from the treadmill. It's very nice, and even when I'm training now, you know, if I have doubts, I tell myself: "Well, I'm an Olympic champion." And it was n't given to me. It was definitely deserved. So I can look back on it with great pride and use it as motivation to do it again. And what about all that.as you said, it was life-changing. You became the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2024. You received the Order of the British Empire (MBE). I mean, these were incredible consequences. And as you said, you're still only 24 years old. There are still many interesting things ahead.

I hope so. And yet you have already achieved so much and received recognition outside of your sport, and not just because of the goals you It's an interesting point because I don't think anyone sets out to achieve something and thinks, "Okay, I'm going to be a BBC sports personality or I'm going to get an award," because that's out of anyone's control at all. And that was the last thing that could save me. It's quite difficult to go beyond athletics. I think our sport is not the most popular in the world, but the Olympics are our "golden time," and I would really like to promote our sport so that it becomes just as big outside of the games. But it was really nice to know that other people enjoyed watching it or were inspired by

it, and there were a lot of girls and boys who were genuinely happy. And I, you could say, received pleasant recognition for the hard work that was done not only by me, but also by my entire team, because there is a whole army of people behind me. And to receive such recognition on a national scale. I think it's very nice. In the next part, we will try to create the ideal middle- distance runner. I've already thought about it. We will do it, you will do it. And I will ask you a question. So, we will take the best qualities of the greatest athletes of the past or present, just as Audi combines ambitious design, advanced technology and powerful

performance, creating cars that impress; we are looking for endurance, mentality and speed. Let's start with racing intelligence. This is a difficult question, because, as you said, tactics go out of fashion and come back in. Listen, if you want to consider yourself one of them, you can absolutely do so. Who do you think has the best tactical intelligence on the track? There are many, there are so many athletes to choose from. Every event is so different. Ahem. I will choose Michael Johnson.

Yes. I think he was.I've heard stories about him where he might not have been in the best shape, but he still found a way to win. When he was at his best, he also found a way to win, and that's the mindset of a true champion. Yes, and finding a way to compete despite everything. Your strengths at a certain period of life and the ability to use them to your advantage. This is so difficult. To be fair, Michael Johnson could be in any of these categories. Because the next thing is mentality, and it seems to me that he could be there too. But who do you think has the strongest mindset? Maybe this is Kelly Holmes' moment.

Oh, yes. Yes, Kelly has really been through a lot. She reminds me a little bit of myself in the sense that she's always ready to get up and move on, doing everything she can to be ready, no matter what comes her way. So, yes, I would agree with you on this. I'll pick Kelly Holmes for this one. Endurance. Faith Kipyegon, without a doubt. Yes, there can't even be any questions here. Yes. I'll take her stamina. Yes. Speed. Who has that Speed Sydney McLaughlin. Yes. She is a star athlete. Yes. And your contribution, so what does Keely Hodgkinson bring to complete, say, the perfect 800-meter runner?

Oh, I would say, understanding distance. I worked on this for a long time, trying to understand how it works, and I think that's what has kept me so stable all these years. And I believe that to become great at anything, you have to really understand what you're doing and how to succeed at it And not just to understand how it is now, but as you have already demonstrated during our conversation. And also take into account the history of this phenomenon. You also need to change your mindset about what you think is possible. Let's say, just a few years ago, I would n't have believed that the times we're seeing now were possible. But lately I've been thinking: yes, it's 100% possible.

You created a runner with intelligence, speed, and endurance. Performance by design, just like Audi. So now we look at the road ahead. As you said, you go through a high after becoming an Olympic champion. You take a break knowing you'll be back, or hoping you will. Are you hoping this is the start of something big, but you spend almost a year waiting? It's been over a year. Over a year of not being able to compete. What has this time taught you about yourself? What were you working on during this period?

I was just trying to stay sane Was that an important part? Um, yes, 2025 was a very interesting year for me. I feel like I've grown up a lot. I learned a lot about myself outside of the track, about who I really am. I think it's very easy for an athlete to fall into the trap of identifying your success with your personality. And I think it's really good if you can distinguish between these two things. It also taught me to just take a step back and breathe out. Some things are so out of your control, and of course I didn't want this to happen. After becoming champion, I planned: yes, I will dominate. I will compete here, do all of this. But I literally couldn't get out on the track for a whole year. So that made my comeback very special, because I

managed to come back very, very strong. Even I was surprised in that situation. But yeah, I think it gave me a new perspective on just enjoying the process, because I had to start over so many times. I got injured during the Olympics in Paris, so I had to start all over again and go through rehabilitation. And then in February, I got injured just when I was preparing for the competition, so I started again, rehabilitation there. And then it happened again in May. I thought, "What the hell is going on ?" I had to find out why this kept happening. I've never had so many injuries before. What was happening? It was a whole process where I had to just come to terms with it, watch myself get back into shape each time, and adapt to the process, to

recovery. And then somehow find the strength to come back and compete. I think the issue of identity that you raised is very important for everyone, because you can't get attached only to numbers and results You must be separate. It's what you do, not who you are. Yes, and I think you'll find the most satisfaction when things don't go according to plan, but you still wake up the next morning, your family still loves you, people you care about support you, and you can still go out on the weekends with friends and enjoy life. It's not the end of the world, and I think it gives a new, fresh perspective. And it seems to me that many people are talking about this now. There is a belief that athletes must be constantly focused like robots. This doesn't work. You just

burn out, and I'm a big fan of that idea. At the same time, ambition has not disappeared, and the desire to win has remained. So when you came back, is it true that the new version of you was Keeley 2.0? Yes, my coaches So tell us a little about Kili 2.0 and the differences of the new model. I feel like I'm back to myself after that very exhausting period. I was just enjoying everything, but my body had also changed a lot during that time. I became much stronger in the gym because all I did that year was train, rehab, rehab. And when I get injured, I usually come back stronger, and it's nice to know that an injury isn't the end of the world. Of course, it's frustrating, but it's possible to come back.

It's not the end of the world, and I think we were just thrilled that my amazing team was able to come together, we were able to get me in shape, and I was able to come to the World Championships safe and sound. Did the name "Kiely 2.0" help you, this almost drawn line, saying, "okay, we're moving on"? At the time, it truly felt like a new era. It seems to me that since we work in Olympic cycles, the last cycle was entirely dedicated to winning that gold. And now it was like, "Okay, how do we support this?" Of course, it hasn't been easy up to this point, we've had a lot of obstacles, but I think that's part of life, and you don't learn anything if everything always goes perfectly. So yeah, it's

hard to deal with sometimes, but it really felt like the next chapter in my career at this point. Another part of your career that you mentioned is that you are part of the entertainment industry and you really leverage that on social media. That's the side of you.I mean, of course it shows up in the stadium, and it shows up on the treadmill, but do you feel most authentic on social media? It's like your side for relaxation, isn't it? Yes, I mean I use social media purely for fun. I don't think about it too seriously. It's just that, believe it or not, athletes have a lot of free time off the track. I can't run all day.

I'm not allowed to compete all the time. No. And I get a lot of comments about that. It really annoys me because I think, "If only you knew what I did today." They want to see you working 24 hours a day, never turning off and. Never turning off. I think this is what I was talking about: a notion of an athlete that is simply not viable. So, you know, my friends and I like to fool around. When I go to training camps, there's still a lot of free time left, besides what's spent on training. You know, a year ago I started a YouTube channel to show people what it's really like to be a professional track and field athlete, what it requires, what training we

go through and what suffering it sometimes brings, but also to show the fun side and how I get to live this life, traveling the world. Um, well, social media is an interesting thing. I have a somewhat conflicted relationship with them. Like everyone else. I try to somehow manage it as much as I can so that it's more positive than negative. Yes. And I also think the issue of rest that you raised is key, and it's quite relevant because there are two schools of thought right now that seem to be competing

with each other. One of them is to, you know, people exhaust themselves to the limit even on Christmas because they want to do more than their competitors. There is something like that too. Well, that's right. I mean. Sometimes I look at rival competitions and think. Yeah. I just go and.yeah, yeah, you have to be. You're a competitor, a real competitor. But part of it is knowing when to rest, when to switch off, and when too much work becomes a problem rather than making you better. It is always very difficult for athletes to say " no", and it is important to know

when to be firm and refuse. I learned to be very sensitive to my body and what it needs, because I think when you're young you always think: I need to do more, more, more. But there comes a point when that " more" will eventually break you. My coach understands me perfectly and knows that I need a mental break to come back in top shape for training, because he gives me very exhausting tasks. And if I'm not mentally ready for it, the result won't be as good as when I'm fully prepared. And, you know, I want to maximize my potential. And I think this is a very important topic right now: combining all these aspects to become a great athlete who knows how to disconnect, rest, recover, come back, and stay consistently healthy. All of these things have to come

together, and there's a way to do that without becoming a robot that just keeps working. And yet, when you go out to compete, when you stand there at the starting line, you have to be ready. I mean, it doesn't matter if you don't feel mentally or physically ready, or if you have a slight cold or something like that, you have to be able to do it under those circumstances. Yes, and there will be a lot of that. I think if you talk to any athlete who competes, there will be moments when you think it's a perfect day, I feel great, but the race can still not go the way you want it to. There will be days when you think, "I do

n't feel very well." and at the same time you show an incredible result. You know, as an athlete, you're always on the edge, and you have to take that into account as well. But yeah, you do all these workouts hoping that on the right day. that's why I say the Olympic gold is so special, because I did everything right on the perfect day. Any other day, you know, I hope not, but the story could be different. So it's very difficult to do it right. So, the Olympic gold medalist, world indoor champion, also broke the world record in the 800m indoor earlier this year. So, what drives you forward? What, what next? What motivates you? Are these medals? Is it time? Is this as much as you can give it? Is this an internal factor? What exactly motivates you

Probably a combination of all of these. I know I can run much faster than I've ever run before, and I feel like I'm not even close to my limit yet, which is really cool. There's still so much to do, I still haven't won the gold medal at the World Outdoor Championships. I would really like to add this to my collection. But also, the competition, especially this year, in the last few months, it has increased again in the You really want to stand out from these girls and prove that you're still at the top and one of the best. So this is definitely a big motivation for me, and competing with people is much more interesting than constantly running against a stopwatch. So I think the results will come when there are incredible girls pushing each

other. But at the end of the day, winning medals is what people will remember when I'm done, or I'll look back and think, "Wow, I won so many medals, I was so-and- so." After all, records exist to be broken, but I would be very happy about that. And is there a sense of satisfaction that you're doing it in a really strong competition, as you say, you know, the women's 800 meter race is strong right now, like it's never been in a long time? Yes. Do you like it? Do you like this challenge? Yes, this is what I live for. At this stage of my career, I want to feel the excitement when I go out to the start. I don't want to just come out and say, "Well, I ran an 800 meters this week." I want

to compete with incredibly strong girls, and it shouldn't surprise anyone that there are a few of us who are capable of such crazy things, and I think people should just enjoy it. You know, this is much more interesting to watch, and I'm even more interested in participating. But I do n't even know how it will all turn out. You know, I found myself at the European Championships and thought: "I believe I will win." I told myself: "Today I will win." That didn't happen, but I was still very happy with how I ran this race and how well I ran. It's just that someone else ran faster. What can I do about this? I did everything I could, but then I have a chance to try again next week or at the next championship, and there

's always this drive, which I think is very important for an athlete. I think that rivals are the ones who raise champions. From what you've said, it sounds like you have this drive to succeed, but you also have a very healthy outlook on your career. So, I don't know if you can put yourself in the shoes of the older Keely at the end of your career, what it will be like. I'm so curious. And how would you like her to look back on her career? Every year was so different. Every year there were new challenges, and I just want her to be very proud of that, just that she kept working. After all, if we take last year as an example, it was the year after the Olympics, I didn't have to go through

all that and fight to get back to the World Championships. Not really necessary. But I wanted to because I didn't want to miss the world championship. And that's who I am. I wanted to be there, I did it, and I think there was a moment in the process that I can be proud of. I was more proud of the process itself than the result and how I handled it. So there will still be many challenges ahead. People will come and go, we will have good days and bad days. But as long as I keep going out there and doing my best, I think I'll be very proud of myself. And this already feels like a change compared to that 10-year-old girl who said: "I don't know if I want to do this. If it's hard, I'm not entirely sure." Now you are actually overcoming these difficulties.

Yes, I almost learned to love this difficult process, which is what you have to do as an athlete, because it is very difficult. I would call it one of the most difficult sports. You need to have a strong mentality and a strong team around you. And I think just getting through it is sometimes half the battle. So, yeah, I love being a part of it, and I hope I can bring more attention to the sport so that people enjoy watching it, because the era we're in right now is really special. And I just want people to appreciate the incredible athletes who perform in front of them Thank you very much. It was nice to see you on the podcast. Keeley Hodgkinson. Thank you for joining us for 'The Pursuit', presented by Audi, Official Innovation Partner of Sky Sports.

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