Keely Hodgkinson Triumphs in Olympic 800m Final for Great Britain
Paris 2024: Hodgkinson Claims Gold and Ends Wait for Global Title
Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson has clinched gold in the Olympic 800m final in Paris, fulfilling a long-awaited dream and ending her sequence of near-misses on the global stage.
At just 22 years old, Hodgkinson's victory is a poignant and well-deserved culmination of years of hard work and determination. The athlete, who had previously secured silver at the World Championships and came close to gold on her Olympic debut in Tokyo 2021, dominated the final at the Stade de France with an impressive time of 1:56.72.
Hodgkinson's performance was marked by a commanding lead that she maintained throughout the race. Despite a late challenge from Kenya's Mary Moraa, who looked set to make a final push, Hodgkinson held firm and crossed the line to secure the top spot. Her victory was not only a personal triumph but also historic for British athletics, as she became the first British woman to win the 800m Olympic title since Kelly Holmes in Athens 2004.
Ethiopia's Tsige Duguma finished in second place with a time of 1:57.15, while Moraa, the reigning world champion, had to settle for third with 1:57.42.
The achievement marks a significant milestone for Hodgkinson, who has already won four European championships in her relatively short professional career. The emotion of the moment was evident as she celebrated with the crowd, donning a crown and engaging with fans through photos and autographs.
“I think [stepping on the podium] is when it will sink in and you will see some real emotion from me,” Hodgkinson said after the race. “I have worked really hard for the last year and I think you can see how much it meant to me when I crossed the line. I can't believe I have finally done it!”
Hodgkinson's win represents Great Britain’s first Olympic track and field title since Mo Farah's double gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Rio 2016 Games. Her gold also places her among an elite group as only the 10th British woman to win athletics gold at an Olympic Games.
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