Just how quick was Keely Hodgkinson?
Keely Hodgkinson did all Mancs proud with her performance at the Olympics earlier this week, but just how quick was she moving, and what does her victory mean for Manchester?
Transcript
00:00It took Keeley Hodgkinson 1 minute 56.72 to run her 800 metres.
00:04Let's see how long it takes an average person.
00:06Manchester has a new hero.
00:08Keeley Hodgkinson of Atherton won gold in the 800 on Monday
00:12and secured herself as one of Greater Manchester's greatest athletes.
00:17Well, time flies when you're having fun
00:19and even since Monday, Hodgkinson has had a mural set up
00:22in the northern quarter in Stephenson Square with her face by Nike.
00:26Now, this is a dream come true for Hodgkinson.
00:29She said in an interview with The Guardian once
00:31that she was jealous of her friend Ella Toon's mural outside of Old Trafford.
00:35So, all she needed to do, it turns out, was win gold.
00:39Over the course of her senior career,
00:41Hodgkinson has already won medals in the Olympics,
00:43the World Championships, the Diamond League,
00:45the European Indoor Championships and the European Championships.
00:48And now, at the age of only 22,
00:50the athlete still has a long career ahead of her.
00:53Already though, she is one of Manchester's most decorated Olympians.
00:57In recent years, Manchester has become a bit of a hotspot for athletes in training
01:00and one of the reasons for that is the development of facilities like this one,
01:04near the Etihad.
01:05Here, not only is there an outdoor track,
01:07there's also an indoor track, space to practice field events and squash courts.
01:11With Manchester Day recently being Olympics themed,
01:14the development of facilities like this
01:16and the success of people like Keeley,
01:18Manchester really has the potential to become a hotspot for training athletes.
01:22I've just finished mine. It took me double the time that it took Keeley.
01:26If we assume that I'm vaguely the average,
01:28exercise every now and again, every now and again, do a little run.
01:31It just goes to show how impressive that time is.
01:33She was four seconds away from the world record,
01:35which has stood for more than 40 years.
01:37I mean, she was running at 15 miles an hour on average,
01:40which is a startling speed.
01:42And so, Keeley, congratulations.
01:44We can't wait to welcome you home.
01:46There'll be an event at the AO Arena on the 17th of August
01:49where her and a bunch of other successful fellow Olympians
01:52will be having a little welcome back party.
01:54So feel free to book tickets for that.
01:56But otherwise, enjoy the rest of the Olympics.
01:58That's all from me. Follow Manchester World for more.