Keely Hodgkinson’s rival lifts lid on how Team GB star actually treats her opponents
Team GB athlete Georgia Hunter Bell knows Keely Hodgkinson very well from their time together as rivals and team-mates
Georgia Hunter Bell has opened up about what it’s really like having Keely Hodgkinson as both a close rival and team-mate. The pair are a formidable force in middle-distance running and have transformed the M11 Track Club into an elite training environment.
Hodgkinson clinched gold for Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympics by winning the women’s 800m final, ending her wait for a global title. Having previously claimed silver as a teenager at Tokyo 2021, her triumphant display in France sent her career soaring to new heights.
Someone that’s been at her side throughout the rise is Hunter Bell, who secured bronze in Paris after setting a national record in the 1500m. Now, Hunter Bell has lifted the lid on what it’s like being both Hodgkinson’s team-mate and competitor.
She told The Telegraph: “We are friends – we’ve only raced against each other a few times.
“For the most part, it’s very chill. We’re just both competitors so when we’re standing on the start line, we both want to win. That ultimately means one of us is going to be disappointed and the other is going to be happy, but it’s a good thing in general.
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“It’s good for our team – the fact there can be two medallists on the world stage is really cool.”
It’s been an incredible journey for Hunter Bell, who made the decision to return to middle-distance running in 2023 after clocking an impressive 16 minute, eight second 5km at Bushy Park, London.
It turned out to be the right decision, with that bronze last year proving she still had the quality. She then followed that up with two Diamond League wins, World Championships silver and another silver at last month’s Athlos event in New York – in the 800m.
“My life has changed so much in the past 18 months,” she admitted.
“I was working in April last year. So from working full-time and trying to train around that to being a full-time athlete, to being one of the best in the world, it’s been crazy.”
Speaking about Hodgkinson and Hunter Bell, trainer Trevor Painter revealed the duo are “quite sassy” together at their training base in Manchester.
“They’re both very different, but also the same in other ways,” he told World Athletics. “They both have this amazing will to win. I’m quite often getting scolded by them for different reasons.”
The duo were described as “inseparable” at the World Athletics Championship, sharing a room and training together.
Hodgkinson didn’t hold back when discussing her season. “It has been an absolute s*** show, honestly,” she said.
“I think when you look at some of the greats in all sports, there are years where they haven’t done as well, or they’ve missed podiums, or they’ve missed a complete year.
“Somehow, I’ve managed to stay on that trajectory which I think is incredible. At the end of my career, I think people will remember what you’ve won, not what you’ve lost.
“This will just go down as part of my journey and on reflection, I’ll be happy.”
