In defence of the Olympic 800m champion, her audition to her future coach took place in the shot put circle at a school event.
Aided in part by their pair’s close geographical proximity – the Hodgkinson family home is just seven miles from that of Painter – but also by his success in coaching his own wife, Jenny Meadows, in the same discipline, they united for what has become a hugely successful triumvirate.
Littler? Root? Bellingham? Our chief sports writer on who should win BBC SPOTY
Read MoreUntil this weekend, that trio have been in Potchefstroom, South Africa, for a winter training camp for Painter and Meadows’s M11 Track Club, only returning home for what feels like Hodgkinson’s crowning glory at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in Salford on Tuesday night.
It would cap off a near-perfect season for the 22-year-old, who as well as being crowned Olympic champion won European gold when ill and also broke the British record with the sixth fastest time in history for two laps of the track.
Keely Hodgkinson with coach Trevor Painter in South Africa (Photo: Getty)
Of those, the Worlds in Budapest in 2023 was the toughest pill to swallow when seen as the event favourite. “She was disappointed in Budapest as we all thought she was ready for the gold,” recalled Painter.
Every young Keely Hodgkinson should have a chance to realise their Olympic dream
Read MoreHe and Meadows have built her up to the point that she seemed invincible last season, and the trio’s relationship is clearly key to getting her to that point.
“Sometimes if she’s upset she’ll go to Jenny for a deep conversation and sometimes me. She’s very comfortable with both of us, we’ve got a great understanding of each other as individuals and we’re all trying to get the best out of her and push her to do that.”
The M11 group in Manchester like to set a parameter for a session – say 30 to 40 minutes – and athletes are given a choice of how much they want to do. “She always goes to the latter end of those bigger numbers,” said Painter, which he says is one of her greatest strengths. The other? “It’s just her composure under pressure when the going gets tough.”
I went to explore the ruins of the Athens 2004 Olympics and found hope in the weeds
Read More“Jenny had a lot of struggle with drug cheats and she could have been a lot more successful than she was,” he said. “I feel now with Keely she’s getting the rewards we could have had when Jenny was running. They work very similarly but thankfully the landscape’s a lot cleaner now in this sport.”
And he argues that, like Holmes, she could double up over the 800m and 1500m, his star athlete slowly warming to the idea of that with each passing season.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The secrets behind Spoty favourite Keely Hodgkinson’s golden year )
Also on site :