KEELY HODGKINSON claims winning a record hat-trick of European golds would “mean just as much” as her Olympics glory.
No British woman has won three titles in the same individual event in the 92-year history of the European Championships but , 24, has the chance to achieve that feat this week.
Keely Hodgkinson is looking to become the first British woman to win the same individual event at the European Athletics Championships Credit: EPA
The Team GB hero is eyeing more glory in the 800m Credit: Instagram @keely.hodgkinson
Birmingham will today become the first UK host of the biennial continental track-and-field event and the Leigh athlete heads there as the Euros champ from 2022 and 2024.
The “race of the championships” pits Hodgkinson against Swiss star Audrey Werro – the third fastest racer in history – and Flying Dutchwoman Femke Broeders-Bol in an action-packed women’s 800 metres.
Hodgkinson, the reigning Olympic champion, is embracing the new competition, even though she will not be the overwhelming favourite at the Alexander Stadium.
Two years on from her two-lap success at the Paris Olympic Games, Hodgkinson said: “This is what I train for. This is the exciting moment.
“I’ve been doing this for a couple years now. I’ve had lots of people come round and challenge me.
“I’ve always been there and I’m proud to have always been in that top segment.
“I’ve medalled at every single championship. To have the women’s 800 as the spotlight and everyone getting behind us and wanting us to run fast, it’s really exciting.
“I don’t really see it as pressure. I just see it as more of a motivation.
Hodgkinson said a hat-trick of titles would mean just as much as her Olympic glory Credit: Getty Best sport travel offers
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“There’s going to be a lot of my family there being able to support and that’s always really nice.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to stand on top of the podium and hear the national anthem in the UK.
“That would be incredibly special. I think it’d mean just as much to me as almost winning in Paris to be honest.
“Ultimately I’ll just focus on what I can do best and control my race.
“I don’t know what anyone else is going to do. It’s going to be the race of the championships. It’s going to be really fun.”
The heats for the 800 metres are on Tuesday lunchtime, the semi-finals are scheduled for Thursday and then the final is at 9.46pm on Friday.
On June 7, Hodgkinson vowed not to lose another race this season after being beaten in despite her quickest-ever display.
Britain’s Golden Girl ran a national record time of 1:54.33, an improvement of 0.28 seconds, at the Stockholm Diamond League.
Hodgkinson will be going up Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol Credit: Getty
But she says she is just ‘excited’ to compete Credit: Instagram
Yet she had to deal with the rare sensation of being overtaken down the home straight as breakout star Werro, 22, won in 1:53.98, a PB by nearly two seconds.
Three weeks later, Werro lowered her lifetime best while competing in Paris to 1:53.80.
Hodgkinson – who several weeks ago banged her knees on a metal grate in a freak accident – said: “I feel in a good place.
“Obviously there was a bit of a tough patch in June and July but I’m happy and excited to compete and it’ll bring out the best in me.
“It just means that a European title is just as important and just as fun as a world title at this point.
“In Stockholm, I don’t really think I did anything wrong in that race. I didn’t know what she was capable of at that point.
“That just shows you can’t underestimate anybody. If you look at all our other head-to-heads, you wouldn’t have thought she was going to hang on.
“It was my opening race. I think people are trying to make me feel like it was a failure and it really wasn’t.
“That was a British record. It was my fastest time ever and I’m going to remind myself of that – because I’m proud of that.
“Honestly I just think it’s really good. Audrey’s come on really well, Femke’s running well, it’s going to be a really good run. We’ll just see what happens.
“This is what I love about championships. You know I’ve gone into them ranked eighth, at the Tokyo Olympics, and came out with silver.
“I’ve gone in as favourite and not won. So, it’s a bit of a clean slate.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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