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Keely Hodgkinson: I want to bring gold to Old Trafford!

by
Joe Ganley
Monday 05 August 2024 12:00

Manchester United fan Keely Hodgkinson will go for Great Britain's first track-and-field gold medal of the 2024 Olympics tonight, when she competes in the women's 800m final.

The 22-year-old won her semi-final with ease in Paris on Sunday evening and, at 20:47 BST on Monday (5 August), she will strive to upgrade the silver medal she won at the last games, in Tokyo.
 
Born in Atherton, Greater Manchester, Keely has been a Red since her earliest years, and also went to the same school as United Women and Lionesses star Ella Toone.
 
She is also interviewed in the latest issue of Inside United, which is on sale from today. In her chat with our official club magazine, she revealed her dream to parade an Olympic gold medal at Old Trafford.
Keely and her family are regulars at Old Trafford.
"I’d love to [show the medal off at Old Trafford], if you’d have me!" Keely told us last month. "One-hundred per cent. That would be amazing. 
 
"I think it would just be one of those moments, because it’s part of me growing up, and it’s obviously one of the biggest clubs in the world.
 
"I live across the road, as well, so I look at this stadium pretty much every morning when I wake up."
Hodgkinson's support for the 20-times champions of England derives from her mother, Rachel, who has been a season-ticket holder since the late 1980s.
 
"I grew up watching United," says Hodgkinson. "My mum’s a huge fan; she’s had a season ticket for 30 years now, so being a Red is ingrained in me. 
 
"She took me to a lot of matches when I was younger, so it’s just nice to have that bond with her. I like coming here, so seeing the changing rooms and behind the scenes and the world of football today, it’s obviously very different to what I do, so it’s nice to see that as well."
Hodgkinson surged to a confident victory in the 800m semi-final on Sunday.
Earlier this year, Hodgkinson ran the 800 metres in 1:54.61 – the fastest time set by a woman this year, and the sixth-quickest of all time. And she is open about Olympic gold being her target: after last night's semi-final, she told the BBC "the mission is on".
 
"Definitely [I can win gold]," she stated, when we interviewed her for IU. "That’s what I’ve kept my mentality towards, just really wanting to give it my best shot to do that. 
 
"Obviously it’s an individual sport, it’s whatever I can produce on the day, but everything’s heading in the right direction for me to do that.
Keely with her friend and former schoolmate, Ella Toone, at the last Olympics in Tokyo.

"There’s a bit more expectation [than at the previous Olympics] and there’s a saying that pressure is a privilege, so I really take that on board.

"When people think I can do something, why can’t I believe that too? So I’d like to say I’d do one better than last time at the Olympics, that’d be really nice."

We wish Keely all the best in the 800m final, and hope that one day she can bring that gold medal to Old Trafford and show it off to 70,000-plus of her fellow United fans.

To read Keely's interview with Inside United in full, pick up a copy in shops or via our online store.  

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