GOLDEN GIRL
Keely Hodgkinson set to hit the beach with Olympics 2024 gold medal on as she reveals how she’ll spend £39k prize money
She also gave an insight into her immediate gold medal celebrations
A SPANISH SUNLOUNGER and a cheeky glass – or two – of rosé is Keely Hodgkinson’s reward for her epic Olympic triumph.
Britain’s athletics Golden Girl will soon be jetting off to Marbella in southern Spain for her first proper family holiday for five years.
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The spikes will be put away momentarily as she lies in the sun and relaxes with her nearest and dearest.
Perhaps by then all the emotions will pour out and the realisation and enormity of what she has achieved will belatedly sink in.
Her place in history is secured as the TENTH British woman to win an Olympic title in the blue-riband event of track-and-field.
Hodgkinson also scooped £39,000 in prize money from World Athletics, which is being awarded to each track-and-field gold medallist.
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What is most impressive is the manner in which she dealt with the pressure of being the pre-race favourite.
Her 800 metres winning time of 1:56.72 metres was two seconds off her personal best – and it was “not one of my finest” races – but she had the composure and ability to kick to glory when it mattered.
Hodgkinson said: “I hope to have a party soon. I haven’t been on a family holiday since 2019.
“I don’t live at home any more. They have gone out to Marbella for a holiday so I’m going to go and join them and the rest of the family for a few days.
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“My parents and me, what we would love is some quality time together. I don’t get to see them very often.
“I’m not really a cocktail drinker. I’m actually more of a rosé wine girl!
Keely Hodgkinson emulates Kelly Holmes to clinch Team GB’s 12TH gold with 800m victory at Paris 2024 OIympics
“I will be on the beach at some point, having a nice glass of rosé – and with my medal on!”
Hodgkinson, who hails from the small Greater Manchester town of Atherton, met up with her clan at a Parisian bar late on Monday night.
It was 4.30am by the time she placed her head on the pillow of her cardboard bed but before that she had re-watched the race with commentary.
The 22-year-old said: “The atmosphere was absolute vibes. Everyone was drunk as you can imagine but they were really, really happy so it was nice to celebrate with them.
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“I had a little cheeky drink. I was tired so I wasn’t in the best of spirits to be making silly mistakes but it was good fun.
“The bar was absolutely rammed with friends and faces I hadn’t seen in a long time. Friends of my mum, people I didn’t know, people I did know, it was great to have that support.”
Hodgkinson, who earned Olympic silver aged 19 at the Tokyo 2020 Games, is planning for two more Games – LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 – by which time she will be just 30.
Kelly Holmes, whom she hugged in the mixed zone in the Stade de France, has two Olympic gold medals – the most of any British women – but that is an achievable target.
Retired runner Mo Farah leads the way in UK Athletics with four gold medals – he did the long-distance double in 2012 and 2016.
Paris Olympics with 300k condoms
The Olympic Games arrive at the "City of Love
Nearly 15,000 residents - around 10,500 of which are athletes - will be cramming into the Olympic village between July 26 and August 11.
To ensure the athletes feel at home, a number of provisions have been made by organisers.
One of these is the stocking of some 300,000 condoms, in theory enough for around two every day during the run of the Games.
A number of Olympic athletes have opened the door on their steamy lives behind-the-scenes when in camp, including huge sex orgies and parties.
London 2012 had claimed the title of "the raunchiest Games ever", but the 150,000 condoms ordered paled in comparison to the 450,000 ordered for the Rio Games four years later.
Condoms have been laid on by organisers at every game since Seoul 1988, when it they were used to spread awareness of HIV and AIDS.
Even with an intimacy ban at Tokyo 2020 due to Covid-19, some 150,000 johnnies were handed out.
Read the full story here.
Hodgkinson – who went to school with Lioness striker Ella Toone – said: “I’d love to be a four-time Olympian and let’s see if we can bring home medals from every single one. I think that’s a great challenge.
“When you have achieved what I have achieved, I think you have to start looking, ‘okay, what’s next? How do we keep the motivation going?’
“Obviously I’m going to enjoy this moment 100% but the world of athletics just keeps moving.”
Fashion shoots, commercial deals, red carpet invites, a trip to BBC SPOTY and a test drive in Porsche all await when she gets back to the UK.
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She plans to spend her World Athletics £39,000 prize money on a gold Cartier ring “which will be a nice little touch to go with the champs”.
Having abstained so long from sugary sweets and treats, Hodgkinson plans to indulge a little bit before a crack at lowering her PB of 1:54.61 at next month’s Diamond League Final in Brussels.
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She said: “I definitely can’t wait to eat some chocolate and some cake. The chefs have done an incredible job at Team GB camp.
“The food has been absolutely amazing. But it does mean we have had avocado brownies. These are treats but healthy treats. So I am looking forward to having a proper one…”
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