18 August 2023 , 22:11
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Keely Hodgkinson would love to see herself up in lights at Old Trafford like football pal Ella Toone.
United fan Hodgkinson spearheads the British challenge at these World Championships in the absence of Jake Wightman, the nation's only winner a year ago.
An Olympic medalist at 19, she is now the face of athletics in this country - bright, articulate and brilliant at her day job. But even she struggles for recognition outside of a sport that has not done enough to promote itself.
Driving past Old Trafford the other day her gaze was drawn to an image of Lionesses star Toone projected onto the side of the stadium. The pair went to school together.
“It was absolutely massive,” gasped Hodgkinson. “I sent her a picture of it because I didn’t know if she knew it was there. It's amazing to watch in one year how much the women's football has come on and how many have been watching the Women’s World Cup.
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“In terms of ‘do I think I get the recognition?’ I don't really know. I do think us athletes work harder than some other sports and we don’t get the recognition we deserve. There’s definitely more that could be done.
Ella Toone celebrates her World Cup semi-final goal against Australia“Training for these events, it’s tough. Footballers think they're fit, they're just not. Because if you brought them down to the track they wouldn't keep up."
Asked if she might get to have her face on Old Trafford if she rules the world here, Hodgkinson said: “I hope! That would be nice. That would be getting the same recognition, wouldn’t it?!
“Hopefully we can do something good here and get people back and in love with athletics.”
Keely (left) and Ella were schoolmates at Fred Longworth High in Tyldesly, Greater ManchesterWorld Athletics boss Seb Coe agrees more needs to be done and last night said he hoped an upcoming Netflix track and field doc would “lift the bonnet” on our sport.