When Keely Hodgkinson was 13, making it to the Olympics seemed like a far-off dream. Back then, she was dealing with an illness that left her unable to walk and 95% deaf. Fast forward to 2024, and Keely’s still facing challenges. Right before the European 800m final, she didn’t feel like herself at all. Her throat was scratchy, her head was pounding, and her sniffles kept getting worse. Lying in bed before the race, she couldn’t help but ask herself, “Can I really run today?”
Keely didn’t make the call until the very last minute. After loading up on First Defence, Aspirin, paracetamol, and vitamin C, the 22-year-old decided to go for it. It wasn’t pretty—she wasn’t feeling great, but Hodgkinson still managed to pull it off. With the final stretch looming, Slovakia’s Gabriela Gajanova threatened to take the win, but Keely dug deep and crossed the line in 1:56.72,…
