Keely Hodgkinson Wins Olympic Gold Despite Late Arrival Habit

Keely Hodgkinson, a British runner with a reputation for being late, proved her timing was spot on as she won the 800 meters Olympic gold medal. Despite her habit of tardiness, her coach Trevor Painter won’t tell her to change, saying:

“Sometimes it’s 20 to 25 minutes late and she just strolls in smiling, ‘Whatever,'”

Painter believes her free-spirited nature is key to her success, saying:

“That kind of free-spirited nature makes her who she is.”

Hodgkinson’s journey to Olympic champion was not easy, having battled back from a non-cancerous tumor in her ear that left her unable to walk. She told the Guardian:

“It had grown for 10 years and no one had spotted it… And it was so close to my nervous system that I could have had facial palsy if it had touched the nerve. So it was a bit risky getting it out.”

She also spoke to Sky Sports about her struggles with balance and hearing loss:

Credit: Reuters

“I couldn’t walk — which is weird to think — because it’s in your ear, your balance and things like that… But luckily it all went to plan. They got rid of it and I’m just left with a missing hearing. It’s not too bad.”

Hodgkinson credits her father Dean for encouraging her to pursue athletics, saying he bribed her with a pair of shoes to take part in a school race. She also revealed her unusual role model:

“It was actually Tom Daley, because everyone used to fancy him… I was like 10.”

Off the track, Hodgkinson enjoys vintage cars and has promised herself a Porsche Cayman if she won the Olympics. With her gold medal win, the vendor can expect a call.

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Credit: AFP (www.afp.com)