Keely Hodgkinson is eyeing up a successful summer in Paris with the Olympic Games just around the corner and the 22-year-old is hopeful that the major event will raise the profile of the sport whilst inspiring more people to get involved.
Hodgkinson will be looking to add to her Olympic medal collection, after winning a surprise silver in Tokyo aged just nineteen, with a gold medal when she takes to the track in Paris next month.
And for the first time, fans can get an insight into what it takes to get to the start line. The 800m specialist, alongside eight other athletes including Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman, is featured in a documentary which will follow preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The documentary, which will air on Channel 4 on Saturday, was made possible through the support of The National Lottery and will give viewers a unique insight into the journey an athlete takes, and the sacrifices they make, to be able to compete for Olympic gold.
Hodgkinson explained: “I am so excited for Paris. The Olympics is obviously very prestigious in track and field so winning gold would change my life. When you win gold, you become Olympic champion for the next four years and no one can take that away from you. It is such a big opportunity and even better this time to have crowds – it will be so much better compared to Tokyo.
“I hope through the documentary and the Olympic Games we can show people what athletics is all about and inspire more people to take up the sport at grassroots level too.
National Lottery players have transformed athletics in the UK, with more than £300 million invested to support both elite athletes and at grassroots level. Keely is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on the World Class programme, supported by National Lottery investment. The funding allows them to train full-time, have access to the World’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering technology, science and medical support.
She added: “The National Lottery haven’t just helped me, they have helped the whole British team. They fund our kit and travel for events; it allows us to live as professional athletes so that we can go and represent our country on the biggest stage. I am really grateful and I hope through the documentary we can showcase that.”
The celebrations will continue beyond the Olympic Games when Keely will join her Team GB teammates in her home city of Manchester for The National Lottery’s Team GB Homecoming. The stadium event will combine music, art, culture and sport and shine a light on our Olympic heroes on their return home next month.
National Lottery players have transformed athletics in the UK, with more than £300 million invested since funding began, supporting both grassroots sport and elite athletes. A new documentary – Path to Paris: The Hunt for Gold, airing on Saturday 20 July at 4:55pm on Channel 4 – follows British athletes as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and offers a unique insight into how National Lottery players support them on their journey.