Hodgkinson eyes golden finish to 'most challenging year'

Setbacks are inevitable in sport, but the brutal nature of the first major sucker punch of Keely Hodgkinson's career is that it followed the pinnacle.

Two torn hamstrings later, the Olympic 800m champion would not change a thing.

After a 376-day wait to make her competitive return following that crowning moment at Paris 2024, the 23-year-old's explosive comeback in August suggests she has timed her comeback to perfection.

"The last 12 months have been quite a journey," Hodgkinson told BBC Sport.

"Weirdly, though, I wouldn't change any of it because I've learned so much.

"I've realised how strong I am. I have such a great team around me and I've also had time to process everything that happened last year.

"It's been super frustrating at times, when I'm working hard but not seeing any rewards for it and your body's letting you down.

"It's got me to where I am now, so I can't complain too much, but it's definitely been the most challenging year so far."

Hodgkinson's ambitious targets for 2025 were initially wrecked by a left hamstring tear, sustained only three days before her indoor 800m world record attempt at the launch of her own event - the Keely Klassic - in February.

It also denied her world and European indoor title bids, before another major setback - a grade-three tear of the right hamstring in May - threatened her hopes of making the World Championships.

She admitted it had been an "upsetting" 12 months when she addressed the media before her return in Silesia, just four weeks out from Tokyo.

Running the fastest time of the year in one minute 54.74 seconds - a mere 0.13 seconds short of her British record - in a statement comeback performance, before taking another commanding win in Lausanne, it was as if she had never been away.

"I'm just grateful to be back now, because my biggest fear was missing the championships," said Hodgkinson.

"I definitely spiralled a little bit. There was no plan for a period of time. It was literally day by day - we just had to play it by ear. And even coming back to running, it's like, 'OK, can I do a session today? Do I feel something?'

"I just wanted to be fearless [on my return]. I didn't have time to do more races and get that confidence. I needed to just go for it."

It is in Tokyo, the scene of the breakthrough Olympic silver she achieved as a teenager four years ago, where, despite all odds, Hodgkinson will target a first World Championship gold.

Hodgkinson, who has long stated her desire to finish her career as one of her nation's greatest athletes, vowed she would never accept second again following a third global silver in as many years at the previous World Championships in 2023.

The people closest to her have been crucial in harnessing that ambition - through the good times and, more recently, the difficult ones - not least husband-and-wife coaching duo Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows.

But world 800m medallist Meadows said there was a time when they feared Hodgkinson would not be ready, adding: "There was a point Keely probably thought that as well."

Meadows told BBC Sport: "I thought we'd get there but she could be fifth or sixth in Tokyo, and she wouldn't want that.

"When you have gold, you only want gold [but] I think she would have probably taken a medal considering the year she has had.

"We've had more tears than we have ever had before."

To that extent, Hodgkinson views everything which could follow as a bonus.

The challenges of the past year have provided a sense of freedom rarely granted to Olympic champions - and which she is unlikely to have felt since her most recent visit to Tokyo thrust her into the spotlight.

She has taken the opportunity to rebuild solid foundations, with her increased strength reflected in personal bests in the gym, and says she has emerged as determined as ever.

Hodgkinson is expected to meet M11 Track Club training partner Georgia Hunter Bell in the 800m final on 21 September, following the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist's decision to switch events after running the third-fastest time this season.

"We're really hoping for some big things out there. It would be amazing for the M11 group if we could do a one-two, and I definitely think we're capable of doing that," Hodgkinson said.

"This year has definitely given me a sense of slowing down and enjoying the process, being grateful that I can run and, when I can, [making sure] I'm going to enjoy everything, give it everything and probably complain a bit less," she joked.

"I just want to enjoy it, because there was definitely a period of time that I didn't think I was going to be here."