MX23RW : Saturday, August 7 12:07:02| >> :600:226908:226908:

Lord Sebastian Coe likes what he sees from Keely Hodgkinson

Lord Sebastian Coe likes what he sees from Keely Hodgkinson
© Reuters
Keely Hodgkinson has claimed Team GB's only athletics medal of the Olympics so far.

Lord Sebastian Coe believes Keely Hodgkinson must learn to handle the weight of expectation after her stunning silver.

Rising star Hodgkinson has won Team GB's only track medal at the Tokyo Olympics so far after an impressive second place in a new British record in the 800m on Tuesday.

British champion Hodgkinson is unfunded, which underlines how quickly the 19-year-old has developed.

The Leeds Beckett University student broke Kelly Holmes' 26-year-old record by running one minute 55.88 seconds and World Athletics president Coe feels she needs to get used to the spotlight quickly ahead of the next Games in Paris in 2024.

He said: "She looks at home in that environment and it is great. There is still an element of going in there without a great deal of expectation and she will now have to live with the fact that there will be an assumption next time round that she will walk away with the title in Paris.

Sebastian Coe file photo
Lord Sebastian Coe has been impressed by Keely Hodgkinson (Mike Egerton/PA)

"It is not quite that simple but you would have to say that she came here in peak condition.

"I thought she was pitch perfect. You have heard me say this before but the difference doing this out there and on a one-off occasion is like stepping up from non-league football to the England team. It is a massive, massive jump and she has made it.

"If she trains well and safely and does the right things she should be around for a long time."

Hodgkinson has not hidden her desire to be the best in the world and is already eyeing going one better in Paris after finishing behind the USA's Athing Mu.

She said: "I would definitely like to upgrade to a gold. That would be obviously a lifelong dream, to be Olympic champion. That's crazy. I was in that race to try and win it.

"Athing is a great athlete and hopefully we've got many years ahead and are challenging each other. She's definitely raised the bar for all of us.

"Everyone appearing in that final was under 1:58.55. That's mad. So it's going to be an exciting 10 years ahead."

ID:458106:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect4525:

Click here for more stories about Keely Hodgkinson

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Katarina Johnson-Thompson pictured in July 2021
Read Next:
Today at the Olympics: Katarina Johnson-Thompson agony as GB add to gold haul
>
Read more about Keely Hodgkinson Athletics

rhs 2.0
Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina38291784
United StatesUnited States343632102
JapanJapan24121652
Great BritainGreat Britain19212161
Olympics flagRussian Olympic Committee17242263
Today's Olympic highlights header

Saturday's key events


ATHLETICS
· Team GB have three contenders in the women's marathon - Stephanie Davis, Jess Piasecki and Stephanie Twell (10pm)
· The women's high jump final includes Great Britain's Morgan Lake (11.35am)
· Jessica Judd and Eilish McColgan compete in the women's 10,000m final, but most eyes will be on world record holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia (11.45am)
· There is more British representation in the men's 1500m final as Jake Heyward, Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman bid for a place on the podium. New Olympic record holder Abel Kipsang of Kenya is among the favourites for gold (2.40pm)
· The women's 4x400m relay promises to be a thrilling affair, with USA favourites and Great Britain involved (1.30pm)
· After the women's it is the men's 4x400m relay final, with USA also among the front-runners for gold in that (1.50pm)

GOLF
· The women's golf tournament comes to a head, with USA's Nelly Korda holding a three-shot leading going into the final round (10.30pm)

DIVING
· Tom Daley overcame a slow start to qualify for the men's 10m platform semi-final (2am), and will hope to be part of the final as he bids for a second Olympic gold at Tokyo (7am)

BASKETBALL
· USA's domination of the basketball could continue in the men's gold medal match as they take on France (3.30am)

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
· Gold is up for grabs in the men's final as Norway take on the Olympic athletes from Russia (3.30am)

BOXING
· Gal Yafai has a date with destiny in the men's flyweight gold medal bout against Carlo Paalam of the Philippines (6am)

WATER POLO
· Spain and USA go head to head in the women's gold medal match (8.30am)

CYCLING
· After a masterful gold medal-winning display by Team GB's women on Friday, the men look to emulate their teammates in the madison final (8.55am)

BASEBALL
· The day of gold medal games continues in baseball as hosts Japan look to beat USA to the top prize (11am)

EQUESTRIAN
· Team GB will be gunning for more glory in equestrian when they take part in the jumping team final (11am)

HANDBALL
· A gold-laden Saturday also includes the men's handball gold medal match, with France facing Denmark (1pm)

VOLLEYBALL
· France are also involved in the gold medal match in the volleyball, taking on the Russian Olympic Committee in a bid for top spot on the podium (1.15pm)

FOOTBALL
· Two football giants compete for the gold medal in the men's final as defending champions Brazil take on Spain (2.30pm)

> Today's schedule in full
-(578:50) NO SAVED VALID SPORT!!!!:9:

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!