Keely Hodgkinson is bringing 800m Olympic gold back to Atherton - but things could have been very different
manchestereveningnews.co.ukWhen Keely Hodgkinson lined up in tonight's Olympic 800m final, a corner of Greater Manchester roared her on. The 22-year-old has brought a silver medal home to Atherton from the Tokyo games three years ago.
A mural was painted for Keely in her home town the next year. Tonight (August 5) went one better and put her name in the history books as a gold medal winner for Team GB.
Yet the athletics sensation's life could have been very different. She grew up with three siblings and her parents were both runners.
As a young girl, Keely developed a talent for swimming - and her sporting career could have gone in a completely different direction. READ MORE: Dramatic Olympics twist sees Team GB stripped of silver medal following nail biting finish But her father believed in her running abilities - with the pair even rowing about what sport Keely should take up.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk