British superstar Keely Hodgkinson silenced her doubters with one swift response when she was labelled a ‘loser’ for not winning gold in Tokyo.
Olympic champion, British record holder and the ultimate track star – Hodgkinson has achieved enough already in her career to warrant legendary status.
Yet, there are still those that doubt her.
Hodgkinson, who was just 19-years-old at the time, claimed a silver medal in the 800m at Tokyo 2020.
Her sensational performance saw her set a new British record of 1:55.88, finishing just fractions behind American gold medal winner Athing Mu.
Fans flocked to social media to share their elation following her success, but not all comments were positive.
“If you don’t win a race, you lose it,” broadcaster Piers Morgan claimed. “Keeley lost to someone her own age.”
Five letters, one word and an asterisk – Hodgkinson didn’t need to say much to quieten Morgan’s uninvited opinion.
She penned a simple but effective response: “Keely*”
It may come as no surprise to learn that Morgan was not in Hodgkison’s comment section defending his actions.
Her silver medal success came after an immense breakout season in which she became the European 800m indoor champion and claimed a shock victory over Scottish athlete Laura Muir in the British trials.
Hodgkinson’s sensational season hit new heights during the Tokyo Games, captivating the public with her athleticism and humble persona.
But just three years later, at the Stade de France, Hodgkinson pulled out a performance that even the greatest analysts wouldn’t have been able to predict.
Her world-class 800m final at Paris 2024 ended her wait for a global title in dominating fashion and sealed her as the greatest middle-distance runner in the world.
Hodgkinson became just the 10th British woman to win an athletics gold and is set for a dramatic comeback at the Diamond League on Saturday.
What’s next for Hodgkinson?
It’s been 376 days since she led the charge at Paris and fans are eager to see how she faces up against powerhouses such as Australia’s Abbey Caldwell and USA’s Raevyn Rogers.
The Greater Manchester-born athlete has not raced competitively for over a year and her return to the track has been delayed by hamstring issues, keeping her on the sidelines during London’s recent Diamond League event.
However, she’s poised and ready to go in Poland, reclaiming her position in the athletics world.
She’ll hope to regain her fitness ahead of September’s World Athletics Championships in order to improve on the silver medals she picked up in 2022 and 2023.
Hodgkinson admitted ahead of her grand return that she’s faced a ‘frustrating’ year away from the track.
She said: “It’s been a frustrating year for real. It’s definitely been a bit upsetting at times. Missing London was hardest for me, because it was so good last year.
“I just wanted to be there in front of my home crowd, especially coming back after the Olympics. It’s been frustrating but it makes the good times sweeter and it makes it even better to be here now.
“I think tomorrow (Saturday) is just a stepping stone on the way there. I’m looking forward to getting out there, just being competitive again. I’ve come out ready to go, so I’m just excited to put something together.”
There’s plenty of time until the next Olympic Games in 2028 and there’s no doubt Hodgkinson will give the world of athletics something else to talk about before then.