- 2 months ago
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00:00Blessing the Post Studios today representing Great Britain,
00:04Olympic gold medalist, ranked second in the world in the woman's 800 meters,
00:08the true queen of the north.
00:10I'm a huge Game of Thrones guy, Keeley Hodgkinson.
00:14How you feeling? How you liking New York so far?
00:16I love it. I actually do.
00:19This is very different to everyone in the UK.
00:20It's my first time here.
00:22So far, everyone's been so nice, welcoming.
00:25You call the New Yorkers nice?
00:27You're just saying that because you're here?
00:28I don't even know the stereotype, but genuinely, everyone's been pretty cool.
00:33I think they hear the accent.
00:34I think I just give off tourists.
00:36You definitely give off athletic tourist vibes.
00:38I'm totally like she's not from there.
00:39She can't rob her. She'll run away from us, pull a hamstring,
00:42trying to chase her down.
00:44But, yeah, you've got Atholos coming up.
00:47You're going to compete in that this weekend, Friday, in Randall Island.
00:51You geared up? You excited about it?
00:53Yeah, it's my last place of the season.
00:56So for those that don't know, the track season runs January through to September.
00:59So this is a little bit of a late one.
01:00Wow.
01:01But I think it's a really cool event that's been put on.
01:03It's more about celebrating women's sports.
01:05Women come together for this track meet.
01:07Some of the best athletes in the world over what they do.
01:10So I'm excited and looking forward to the challenge.
01:14All right. Let's talk about your journey to get to just, I mean,
01:17here to New York City, getting back out on the field.
01:21You battled hamstring injuries, sickness, a 376-day break from competition.
01:29You call this season an absolute show.
01:32I absolutely love the transparency there.
01:34So kind of take us through the journey of what it's been like to get back to being
01:39the Keeley Hodgkinson, Queen of the North.
01:41Yeah. It's been an interesting season.
01:43Like I won the Olympics last year in Paris for the women's 800.
01:46And that was such a special moment for me.
01:48Worked really hard to get that.
01:49Everything was definitely a lot more smooth sailing.
01:51And then since then, I just had problem after problem after problem of injury
01:55after injury, tore both my hamstrings, was I've not ran more than I've ran.
01:59I've done a lot of like alternative training.
02:01So there's definitely parts of this year where I thought I'm not going to have a season
02:05and I was going to miss an entire year, which definitely broke my heart.
02:08Because this is my job, this is what I train so hard to do, this is what I love doing.
02:12So that was hard at times.
02:14But yeah, I call it the shit show of a season because it just was.
02:17Like everything, it's interesting when you write down your goals.
02:20And I was like, I'm going to go to this championships and aim to win and do this
02:23and aim to win and aim to do that.
02:24And they just got completely stripped.
02:26And it was literally like, okay, put your trainers back on and try and jog.
02:31Then it was, okay, now try to do one session.
02:34Now try to get through a weak session.
02:35Now let's pick up the pace.
02:36So it was kind of not demoralizing, but it was definitely a humbling experience
02:41to have to literally go back to the basics and work on the small goals to get to the bigger ones.
02:45But it all worked out in the end and I wouldn't really change any of it.
02:48I think I've learned a lot of myself this year.
02:51And I'm 23 and I feel like I'd be stupid to think I was going to go through my entire career
02:56and not have a crazy year like that.
02:58It happens to everyone.
03:00So I'm grateful for it.
03:01Go for the lessons.
03:02And please just give me like two or three years of solid before you like do this to me again.
03:06No injuries.
03:07I mean, just kind of talk to you about what you learned about yourself
03:12because I feel as though we athletes were looked at like we're some sort of like zoo creature or whatever.
03:17We're supposed to be the robots and it's, oh, no, I am not hurting or anything.
03:23I need to show up and just keep going.
03:25So what did you learn about yourself and that appreciation that you do have
03:30and that love you have for the sport?
03:33I definitely learned how strong I am.
03:36I knew I was pretty mentally strong anyway.
03:38And to be a professional athlete, like you'll know, like you've got to be the challenges that come
03:42and it's just you out there and you're in control of what you do.
03:45You have this whole team of people around you, but ultimately it's down to whatever you do.
03:49So it was interesting managing all that.
03:51I learned to really like fall in love with the process of it, which I think is so important for longevity.
03:57I loved it anyway and I loved competing, but I found a new level of just like taking it day by day,
04:03like enjoying the hurt of the training sessions.
04:06And this is where it's going to get me to be.
04:09And when I am back or when, you know, when I was down bad and I was like, when I am back,
04:13I'm going to appreciate it so much more and just, just have a new respect for the sport, I guess, in a weird way.
04:20We call it, let the pursuit be the reward.
04:22Yeah.
04:23Like, you know, getting, falling so, so much in love with the journey that like as you,
04:27when you get to the destination, it's just a stopping point.
04:31Like there is no final destination.
04:32I think it's really important.
04:34Absolutely.
04:34Absolutely.
04:35So when you're, you're checking off little milestones here and there, you, you, you've raced since,
04:40you're going to be racing Friday.
04:41Have you kind of thought about defending your title and the Olympics being in LA in 2028?
04:49Or is that just so far down the road?
04:51I think in the track world, we do kind of work in Olympic cycles.
04:54So going up to Paris, that was one.
04:56And the next four years, well, now three years, we'll spend getting ready for LA.
05:00But I think everybody knows that LA is probably going to be one of the sickest Olympics yet.
05:04Yeah.
05:04I'm really excited for it.
05:05I feel like it's, I'm really happy to be competing in this era of time and track and field and happy
05:10that it falls in this, in this cycle.
05:12And I'll be 26, which I think is a great age to do it.
05:16Wow.
05:16Go ahead.
05:17Age shame me.
05:18I'll be 41 next week.
05:19Let's age shame each other.
05:22Yeah.
05:23I'm a little baby.
05:2426.
05:24I'll be 26.
05:25That was fun a long time ago.
05:27But keep going.
05:28I'm sorry.
05:28No, it's okay.
05:29So I think it'll just be really exciting.
05:32I'm looking forward to it.
05:33To defend my 800 title, it's actually never been done before.
05:37Nice.
05:38So that'll be really cool to be one of the first women to defend a title.
05:43And it's a good challenge to keep the motivation going.
05:46I've done it before.
05:47So it's like, why can I not do it again?
05:49I love a quote that you said, at the end of my career, I think people will remember what
05:55you've won, not what you've lost.
05:58Kind of talk to you.
05:58Where was your headspace then?
06:01Yeah.
06:02What does that quote mean to you, as I say it back to you?
06:05I think it's interesting with the human brain and how, I think us as people, we tend to
06:11dwell more on the negative things and the bad things.
06:14But then when you come to look at the all-time best and the greats in sport, Ronaldo, Shalene
06:20Frey, Serena Williams, you don't remember the match that somebody fell ill and it didn't
06:26happen.
06:27You know, like you remember what they won and I think you can get caught up in being
06:32too hard on yourself, being really down on yourself and just over making yourself feel
06:38rubbish when you shouldn't, you should be proud.
06:40Like I look back at this year and I'm proud.
06:41It wasn't what I wanted, but I learned so much and I'm proud of myself.
06:45So I think it's more of a grounding thing, really.
06:47And yeah, I've hopefully got a long time left in me to keep building up those medals and
06:52that legacy and seeing what I can leave for the next generation.
06:55Absolutely.
06:56Take it as far as you can.
06:58Like I would say, like I kind of look back at my little NFL career, my CFL career and
07:03I miss it so much.
07:05Like I don't miss the knee surgeries and waking up early in the morning, but you don't even
07:10think about that.
07:11You know, like you think about when they call your name and you're running out there on
07:15the field or you catch a pass and you hear the crowd just going crazy.
07:18Yeah, there's nothing quite like it.
07:19You don't get it.
07:20There really isn't.
07:21And it's an era of your life.
07:22You really just have to make the most.
07:23So I think when you're an athlete, you've got to be so selfish and you've got to have
07:27great people around you to understand and support that, which I do have.
07:30But I definitely just want to make the most of this time.
07:33Man, I feel like we're getting deep with this one.
07:35Like this is supposed to be the New York Post, not Oprah.
07:38All right.
07:40So let's let's have some fun with this because I watch you on social media.
07:43You're super funny on your IG and your TikToks.
07:46You got some fake hate on the Internet for your TikToks about American accents.
07:52Let's try some.
07:53Since we're here in New York, let's get it.
07:56All right.
07:57All right.
07:57We're in New York right now.
07:59Let's try and get a cab.
08:00Say, I guess.
08:02So no, no.
08:03Someone bumps into you.
08:05I'm walking here.
08:06I'm walking here.
08:08All right.
08:08Let's go Boston accent.
08:11Because they say like park.
08:11You're going to have to give me an example.
08:13I don't know.
08:15Park the car or you kids, you're wicked smart.
08:18Park.
08:18It sounds like Scouse, doesn't it?
08:20Park the car.
08:21Park the car and hide the gardens.
08:23I'm good at that L.A. babes accent.
08:25Okay.
08:25Go West Coast.
08:26Go L.A.
08:26Go L.A. babes.
08:27I'd be like, oh, my God.
08:29New York is so big.
08:31You have the hair thing with it as well.
08:35It's so nice here.
08:36Oh, my God.
08:37We can all get appetizers and have a good time.
08:40Oh, my gosh.
08:41All right.
08:41Last but not least, and make sure this one is right because I'm from Virginia.
08:45You're Southern.
08:45You're Southern accent.
08:47Oh, okay.
08:47Give me an example.
08:49Can you do one for me?
08:50Y'all, like, y'all, we're just going.
08:52Like, howdy, y'all.
08:53How y'all doing today?
08:54The howdy is crazy.
08:55Y'all having a good time?
08:56We having ourselves a good time.
08:58All right.
08:58I'm having myself a good time.
09:00You've traveled all around the world.
09:01What would you say is your favorite accent?
09:03Oh, my favorite accent.
09:06I do like the French accent.
09:08Okay.
09:08But I actually really like the New York accent.
09:10Really?
09:11I do, yeah.
09:12Coffee.
09:12Says nobody.
09:14So you'll go back to London and be like, yo, can we get some coffee?
09:17Get some coffee.
09:18And you guys say y'all a lot.
09:20It's really interesting.
09:21Yeah.
09:22Y'all?
09:23Y'all.
09:23Which y'all's version of y'all?
09:26You all?
09:27You just say you all?
09:28I say yous.
09:29In Manchester, we'd say yous lot.
09:31All right, yous.
09:31Yous lot are crazy.
09:33Well, you can take y'all.
09:34I'm going to take yous.
09:35So we can swap that out.
09:37The Jets are playing in London on Sunday for their NFL International Series.
09:44You're an NFL fan, Jets fan, Giants fan?
09:47I'll be real.
09:48I don't know much about NFL.
09:49Okay.
09:50Whichever direction you tell me to support, I'll go with it.
09:53Well, you were saying the Jets sent you like a care package or something?
09:56They did.
09:56They sent me a little care package that was nice of them.
09:58Nice.
09:59What's in it?
09:59Like, what's in the Jets care package?
10:00I got a top.
10:01I got a hat.
10:02Maybe a water bottle.
10:03You should have wore it.
10:05Yeah, I should have actually.
10:05You should have worn something today.
10:07I should have.
10:07Are you going to wear it Friday?
10:08What about the AFN?
10:10Could you warm up in some Jets stuff?
10:12They want to send me some more?
10:13All right.
10:14All right.
10:14I'll take it.
10:15All right.
10:16Again, you're huge on social media.
10:18Your brand is, I mean, you're doing it right.
10:21Oh, thank you.
10:21Like, I tell young athletes all the time, it's all about branding yourself.
10:25It really is these days.
10:26Keep the main thing the main thing, which you're doing, but always brain yourself.
10:31I wasn't able to do that back in the day without getting in trouble or whatever.
10:34So, explain your tweet or your retweet.
10:38Retweet, you tweeted, landing back in the UK was actually a culture shock.
10:44Japan, you're so kind and polite.
10:47UK, you're so not.
10:49Explain the tweet, please.
10:51I got some hate for that, too.
10:52You know what's so funny?
10:53I tend to just keep my mouth shut.
10:55You're so rad right now.
10:56I'm so random.
10:59Well, I was obviously joking with that.
11:01I love my UK people.
11:02I love home.
11:03I think people took that a bit too seriously.
11:05But I think just being out in Japan for a month, the culture was just so different.
11:09It was really a part of the world.
11:11They're just very polite.
11:12Like, they really respect each other.
11:15They bow to each other.
11:17Everyone's willing to help you.
11:18And I landed back in the UK and I felt like I was annoying everybody else.
11:23And I was like, well, this is a culture shock.
11:26I'm back in, you know.
11:27But I love my UK people.
11:29No hate at all.
11:30It's just different.
11:31Yeah, you took it to Twitter.
11:32I was more appreciating the Japanese culture.
11:35There you go.
11:36There you go.
11:36But it's always going to be someone who has a problem.
11:39You're never going to please everyone.
11:40And, yeah, some people are going to get annoyed.
11:42All right.
11:43I got a retweet for you.
11:45I act delusional for fun.
11:47I know when to wrap that up.
11:50Do you act delusional for fun?
11:53Why retweet that?
11:55Who's found these?
11:55I found these on my own.
11:58I'm like, yo, she's wild.
12:00I need, this is going to be fun.
12:02I act delusional for fun.
12:03What headspace were you in when you retweeted that?
12:06I think sometimes I'm a young blonde head girl who probably, I'm quite like chill, relaxed,
12:13fun, maybe a bit ditzy sometimes.
12:15And I can maybe come across as like, she's just a bit of an airhead.
12:18But I'm quite switched on and smart when it comes to it.
12:20Like, don't take me for a fool.
12:21All right.
12:22You were a method actor with the L.A. girl thing.
12:26I have fun, but I have that side eye of like, okay.
12:30My next one was, never forget, you are pretty blessed girl and your heart been pure, mamas.
12:38You retweeted that.
12:40This will be our last one as well.
12:41I need to stop retweeting.
12:42Oh, you are very good at retweeting.
12:46The world is watching.
12:47Stop doing that.
12:48So, go ahead, mamas.
12:52What's pure mama?
12:52Are you sure it said mamas at the end?
12:54It said mamas at the end.
12:55I copy, pasted.
12:56Well, oh God.
12:57What does it say again?
12:58You're a blessed.
12:59Yeah.
12:59That's just, I am a very blessed life.
13:03And I think sometimes, you know, like I said, the human brain gets tricky.
13:07You always think yourself into a bad mood rather than a good mood.
13:10Well, there's just not much to be sad about.
13:12That's a motivational quote right there.
13:14Never forget.
13:15Matter of fact, you read it to the, you let your audience know.
13:20And you never forget, you're a pretty ass blessed girl.
13:24And you have a pure heart.
13:25There you go.
13:26Can we get a round of applause in here?
13:29Thanks for coming in.
13:30Good luck this Friday at Athlos.
13:32Good luck at your preparation, your training.
13:35You're doing all the right things when it comes to taking yourself and emerging yourself as a global brand.
13:42Thank you so much.
13:42We celebrate athletes like you who are doing it.
13:46So congrats.
13:46Yay.
13:47Thank you for having me.
13:50Thank you for having me.
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