The BBC's Sports Personality of the Year has long divided opinion - can it really be about personality when Nigel Mansell has won it twice? But however nebulous the criteria for winning, Keely Hodgkinson ticked every possible box in 2024. She was a cold-blooded killer on the track, a free spirit off it: Killing Eve's Villanelle in super spikes.
What makes Hodgkinson so interesting - aside from her immense talent - is that she does things on her own terms. The Olympic Games in Paris was no different. In the British prep camp she walked around with Chanel sunglasses and a Louis Vuitton handbag. Several times staff pointed out that it was not official GB kit, but she just smiled and carried on.
Her confidence manifested itself in a different way in the 800m final in Paris. Conventional wisdom suggested that the faster the race, the greater her chance of victory. Instead Hodgkinson took the lead after 300m and only slowly wound it up, before turning on the turbochargers in the home straight. It was a moment of glory and sweet dominance. The fact that she had won silver three times in major championships - the Olympics in 2021 and the worlds in 2022 and 2023 - made the step to the highest step of the podium all the sweeter.
This story is from the December 18, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 18, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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