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Olympic gold medal contender Keely Hodgkinson has spoken out about the intense pressure and range of emotions that come with achieving success at such a young age.
Hodgkinson defied everyone's expectations when, aged just 19, she won the silver medal in the women's 800m at the Tokyo Olympics. However, the athlete revealed that this incredible achievement was accompanied by many ups and downs.
The 22-year-old recalled feeling “an adrenaline rush” and “an overwhelming feeling of joy” after Tokyo, and said she couldn’t sleep for two days after the race.
“It was great fun, but obviously when you get to the glory point, then you get to the disappointment point,” said the middle-distance runner, who will represent Team GB in the 800m in Paris. “The winter after that was a bit tough… once you’ve experienced something like that, everything else seems a bit monotonous.
“A lot of people tell you how to be successful, but not how to deal with success once you've achieved it.
“When you do it so young, it just doubles the time it takes to maintain it at that level, which can be difficult.”
Staying strong and taking each day as it comes has helped her get through these difficult times.
“I think everyone who has been through it has their own way of dealing with it and you get through it,” Hodgkinson said. “I managed to keep up my performances and took it day by day… and eventually I felt like myself again.”
Learning when to say no is one of the most important lessons she's learned since Tokyo.
“When I was younger I would say yes to everything, but in the end you end up exhausted and tired,” the runner reveals. “I think it’s important to protect your own peace and really get your priorities straight, to know how you want to do things and what direction you want to take.”
Hodgkinson talks about these highs and lows in a new National Lottery-backed documentary called Path to Paris: The Hunt for Gold, which follows the stars of Team GB as they prepare for the 2024 Olympics and offers an insight into how National Lottery players are supporting their journey.
Speaking to PA about the pain he suffers as he pushes his body to run 800m in under two minutes, he said: “I may be biased but it is a really painful event to run and train for.
“It feels like you're dying and you can't lift your legs, and it burns and it stings.”
However, the British 800m superstar believes mental strength can help overcome anything.
“I think the mental aspect is more important than the physical aspect, because you need mental strength to keep going,” he said. “Some people lose the race just because of their own mind… one of my strengths is that I can tolerate lactic acid well and when it really hurts I can push myself to the maximum.”
She hopes this mental strength will help her cross the finish line in first place in Paris, a moment she has long imagined.
“I may be young, but I have worked hard for this for many years,” said Hodgkinson. “I already have several silver medals at the World Championships and it would mean a lot to me to win a gold medal. It would be a big change in my life.”
The National Lottery has invested more than £300m in elite and grassroots sports. Path to Paris: The Hunt for Gold will air on Channel 4 on 20 July at 4.55pm.
