Georgia Hunter Bell’s heartwarming gesture as Olympic medallist offers honest advice
The middle distance athlete was back where it all started just weeks after her podium exploits in Tokyo to put the next generation of potential stars through their paces
Georgia Hunter Bell returned to her roots to pass on her pearls of wisdom to the next generation of budding athletes.
The Olympic 1500m bronze medallist recently added the 800m world silver to her collection in a thrilling final in Tokyo where she pipped teammate and training partner Keely Hodgkinson to second spot. Hunter Bell took time out from her busy schedule to drop in to Ealing Southall & Middlesex Athletics Club at their Perivale HQ where she honed her skills as a junior.
The middle distance runner put youngsters through their paces, posed for pictures and took part in a Q&A as she passed on advice to those hoping to replicate her success.
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She said: “One of the older athletes at the club told me to be brave and that stuck with me quite a lot. You can go into races and you can know your fitness is there but maybe you’re a little bit nervous you don’t want to go out there too hard and die. But all the races where I’ve been brave I’ve gone better than I would have on paper. If you don’t take that risk then you will never know.
“You have to be really disciplined with your sleep, hydration, electrolytes, make sure you’re recovering well. The recovery is just as important as your training. It’s about keeping yourself accountable. Not scrolling at night guys, put those phones away! You need to recover and rest. Always think about that – is it going to help tomorrow with your race and your upcoming event?”
Hunter Bell’s decision to quit her full-time job in cybersecurity proved the correct one after landing two medals on the world stage.
“You’re on your own path,” she told the club’s youngsters. “Don’t compare yourself too much to people. When we were standing on the start line in Tokyo we had such different journeys. Everyone can make it to the world stage if you work hard and stay consistent.”
Hunter Bell’s appearance was well achieved by club members after she followed in the footsteps of former Ealing athlete Dame Kelly Holmes in delivering for her nation.
ESM membership manager Peter Flewitt said: “Seeing Georgia achieve so much at such a young age during her time at Ealing Southall and Middlesex AC and to go on and hold Olympic and World Championship medals is what young athletes dream of.
“Having Georgia come back to the club, spending time with the next generation of young athletes and have her answering questions, and giving her advice has been a real treat for them that they can take away knowing that with the right support, training and belief anything is possible.”
