‘I’ve worked so hard for this’: Keely Hodgkinson revels in 800m Olympic gold | Paris Olympic Games 2024

Keely Hodgkinson believes she is able to dealing with the “life­-changing” expertise of ­turning into an Olympic gold medallist after ­backing up pre-event favouritism with a ­dominant win within the 800m closing in Paris.

The 22-year-old, who claimed silver in Tokyo three years in the past, admitted she was nicely conscious of pre‑Paris expectation on her. How the Staff GB member delivered, hitting the entrance inside the primary lap and by no means giving up the lead. Hodgkinson believes she has a lot extra to realize in her sport.

“I believe so,” she stated when requested whether or not this can alter her life for ever. “It modified my life final time. Now being a champion, nobody can ever take that away from me. That is the largest stage our sport is ever on.

“I don’t know what it is going to convey however I believe I’m rather a lot higher ready for it than I used to be final time. I’ve labored so laborious and simply trusted the method. It hasn’t sunk in but. I’ve labored so laborious for this. The race was a bit gradual at 400m however I simply saved composure and knew if I used to be in the appropriate mindset I’d be very laborious to beat.

“This final yr has been targeted on how I can go a stage up. This yr you possibly can see how I’ve grown as an athlete. It’s the time I’ve been the ­favorite going right into a ­championships. I used to be decided for it to be that approach. This yr I’ve tried to step up.”

Hodgkinson received the race in 1min 56.72sec and has set her sights on the world report, which is 1:53.28. On the Diamond League in London earlier than the Olympics, she ran 1:54.61 to set a British report.

“It’s undoubtedly a purpose,” she stated. “Whether or not it comes out or not, ­nothing is guaran­teed. I’d love to present it a superb go. There’s extra in there. Once you’re on the high of your sport, why not?

“After doing one thing so large because the Olympics the remainder of the summer time can really feel like a drag. We’ll see what the legs have acquired in them. After the 1:54, coaching acquired higher and higher and there have been classes that indicated there was a lot extra there. However it is going to take an important day like London to get that out. We’ll see within the subsequent couple of weeks however for now it’s about having fun with.”

Hodgkinson was nicely conscious of the give attention to her heading in direction of Paris. She had been branded in lots of quarters because the golden lady of Staff GB.

“It’s undoubtedly been totally different this championships,” she stated. “I’ve needed to block out the noise. Lots of people have been moving into the Olympics and being on the stage means all the things. Nevertheless it’s additionally very tough. Hats off to anybody who has handled that earlier than. It’s undoubtedly a privilege however so powerful. I’m super-proud of me and the workforce to deal with it. Again-to-back semis and finals was powerful. I’ve used my psychologist a bit extra on this championship and doing what I can to get the job performed.

“The British love the Olympics and I knew what I did in London meant I got here in as a favorite. To go off the again of that and relax the feelings of it, go right into a holding camp, keep it, if not do higher, get by means of rounds the place nothing is assured, medal contenders going out. It’s such a cut-throat sport. To get by means of to the ultimate was the goal. Then it was to complete first.”