Leigh Harriers coach says Keely Hodgkinson was destined for greatness

When a younger Keely Hodgkinson joined Leigh Harriers on the age of 9, Margaret Galvin knew she was one thing particular.

Proper from the get-go, Keely was successful county championships in 800m, 1200m, 1500m, and cross-country races, and her former coach knew that if she stayed on the correct path, nobody might cease her.

With Margaret and her late husband Joe serving to to nurture Keely’s pure expertise, the 22-year-old has lived as much as her potential after attaining a silver medal within the Tokyo Olympics, successful 4 European Championships, and breaking a 26-year-old nationwide document within the girls’s 800m.

And as the 800m qualifiers begin tonight (Friday, August 2), this marks the beginning of a journey the place Keely can go one step additional and grow to be an Olympic champion. However as her former coach explains, this is one thing she was at all times destined for.

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Keely with Manchester United footballer Ella Toone at Leigh Harriers (Picture: Leigh Harriers)
Margaret stated: “It was apparent proper from the very begin that she was at all times particular.

“She was county champion all by means of the age teams rising up, and a number of the time we have been extra nervous than she was!

“She was at all times nice at understanding the place she was within the race, and the place she wanted to be, and as soon as she goes round that closing bend, nobody goes to cease her”.

Keely began at Leigh Harriers on the age of 9 (Picture: Leigh Harriers)
With younger athletes as proficient as Keely, Margaret stated that one of the crucial tough issues is maintaining them heading in the right direction in order that they’ll fulfil their potential.

It may be a positive line, Margaret stated, between creating expertise and not pushing too laborious, and hoping they retain their ardour for the game when there are competing pursuits current.

Whereas this could be a robust balancing act for a coach, Margaret stated this was by no means a problem with Keely, as her dedication by no means wavered.

Margaret and Joe with their Imagine Star that’s exterior Leigh City Corridor (Picture: Wigan Council)
“She was at all times an incredible coach, and he or she sacrificed so much as a result of there are at all times competing issues occurring in a teen’s life”, Margaret added.

“However Keely at all times put racing first; I keep in mind her coming again from household journeys to Centre Parks to compete, earlier than heading again once more.

”She has had some hiccups alongside the best way however she had ‘Paris 2024’ as a objective in her diary, so that is one thing she has at all times needed to do.”

Keely devoted her 2022 European Championship win to Joe Galvin (Picture: PA)

And whereas Keely has grow to be a family title on the planet of Athletics, and is favorite to win gold on the Paris Olympics, Margaret stated that she has at all times remained grounded and has by no means forgotten the place she got here from.

An instance of that is when Keely devoted her Istanbul European Indoor Championship win to Margaret’s late husband Joe, and celebrated with a Nice Britain flag that learn “Joe Galvin – Legend”.

“That was a really emotional second for me, as a result of I used to be watching on my own at house and I did not realise she was going to do this”, Margaret added.

“She received the youth European Championships when she was nonetheless being coached by me and Joe, and we have been at all times so pleased with her.

“I nonetheless maintain in touch along with her and her mum at all times retains me up to date along with her races.

”She will at all times be a Leigh Harrier, it’s simply that now she is the quickest lady on the planet.”

Keely’s Olympic journey begins on Friday, August 2 (Picture: PA)