40/1 Keely Hodgkinson to do the DOUBLE DOUBLE

If she wins next Sunday Keely will become the youngest ever Olympic and World Double Champion in Athletics track and field at the age of 23.

Yeah she won last year but i really can't figure out if that is the big negative factor or punters are totally clueless to the importance of what she could achieve next Sunday. Maybe these days being the Olympic and World Champion no longer carries much weight ?
I'm not sure why it really matters that much, that she won SPOTY last year as each year is surely independent of itself, British Athletics recently tweeted. 'Winning gold in Tokyo would mean more to Keely hodgkinson than her Olympic title.'

Keely said “Whatever happens this year in Tokyo, hopefully it's what I want because it will just mean even more than Paris last year.
“That is kind of crazy because that obviously changed my life and winning the Olympics is what every athlete wants to do.
"The challenge it took to get here would just make it that much sweeter, so I'm just really excited."

What she means by the challenge is this:

Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson was back in action for the first time following a 376-day absence to injury; the 23-year-old set a new 800m Diamond League meeting record of one minute and 54.74 seconds, the second-fastest time of Hodgkinson's career

Keely Hodgkinson made a stunning, winning return to action at the Diamond League in Poland in her first race since the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 23-year-old Olympic champion was back in action following a 376-day absence to injury, and showed she has put her hamstring issues behind her by setting a new 800m meeting record of one minute and 54.74 seconds.

Hodgkinson sustained a hamstring injury in February before the Keely Klassic and her return was delayed by a number of setbacks.

But the Great Britain athlete made a statement ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September, setting the fastest 800m time in the world this year by nearly two seconds.

Hodgkinson finished clear of Lilian Odira from Kenya and Botswana's Oratile Nowe in Silesia, with her time also the second-fastest time of her career, just 0.13 seconds off her personal best.

"I was just happy to step on the track after more than a year, Hodgkinson said after her win, as quoted by The Guardian.

"As I got closer to the race I got more and more relaxed. I planned to run a fast time because I do not have five races any more before Tokyo, I only have today and the meeting in Lausanne.

"It had to be fast and I am happy that it worked."

Then in Lausanne 4 days later she made it look easy, unbothered by the rain and wet track in the Olympic Capital, crossing in 1:55.69 to break the 23-year-old meeting record.

So when you realise this, that was the challenge she overcome this year just to have a chance at the World Championships, so why can't she win SPOTY again this year. Historically there has been so many occasions where sports people have been shortlisted two years running or years apart after winning or placing before. Way to many for me to even bother giving examples, the pro special betters know what i'm on about.

Keely could become the 6th person to be a track and field double champion and the youngest.

Linford Christie OT 1992 WT 1993 achieved double aged 33
Sally Gunnell OT 1992 WT 1993 achieved double aged 27

Keely is on the exact same path as Linford and Sally, both won the world title a year after the Olympic title.
In 1992 they finished 2nd and 3rd in SPOTY. Nigel Mansell won that year.
A year later after both won the worlds, Linford won SPOTY and Sally was 2nd. Thus endorsing my earlier arguement.

Christine Ohuruogu OT 2008 WT 2007 achieved double aged 24
Jessica Ennis-Hill OT 2012 WT 2009 achieved double aged 26
Mo Farah OT 2012 WT 2011 achieved double aged 29

So its been 13 years since it last happened, and the year they achieved the double, everyone of the previous 5 were shortlisted for SPOTY that year.
Jess finished 2nd in SPOTY 2012, Mo unplaced same year as did Christine in 2008 but both years were Olympic years with many Olympians shortlisted both years, so votes were very split between them.

Keely could be shortlisted with other World Champions this year and face a similar split vote but she will be the only one who has an Olympic gold to her name and is now the golden girl of British Athletics, me thinks she will get the lion share of any split vote. Even if that scenario materialises.

Athletics strength in SPOTY is unparalleled, winning 17 times. F1 is a remote 2nd with 8 wins.
full details can be seen here:

.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Sports_Personality_of_the_Year_Award#By_sport


Voting has recently been changed, you will no longer be able to vote by phone. You will only be able to vote online through the BBC website. This really hurts the sports with younger viewers imo, just don't see the same motivation being bothered to fill in the details to vote myself. It will take hardcore motivation and be big fans of said person to even bother thinking about it, and thats where footy fans don't quite measure up. Especially compared to the old skool athletic mob who are well versed in filling out these details and im guessing 90% will already have BBC accounts anyway...even more so after Keely winning last year.

On the footy note, as with an Olympic year, many can be listed from the same sport. Its very possible that Chloe and Hannah could both be shortlisted for SPOTY, as separating there achievements for the year is going to be no easy task for the panel. That would severely hinder both there voting power.

I think Rory's chances slightly improved with the voting change myself but i still can't see him getting anywhere near a single footy nomination or an extremely strong Athletic vote. Bottom line is this year, there is going to be far less votes than we've seen for a long time. All plays massively into Keely's hands for me.

Seb Coe holds major power in the Athletics world and he's one of Keely's biggest fans:

World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe believes “mahogany hard” Keely Hodgkinson could finish her career as one of the all-time greatest athletes in the world.

Olympic champion Hodgkinson will look to add a first world title to her Paris 2024 800 metres gold at the World Athletics Championships, which begin this weekend in Tokyo.

The 23-year-old came back from a year-long injury absence to set a stunning world lead in Poland last month and gets her competition underway with next Thursday’s heats.

“She absolutely could,” said two-time Olympic 1500 metres champion Coe, when asked if Hodgkinson could finish her career as the greatest Great Britain had ever seen.

“I have no doubt about that. Absolutely, for sure and to be honest, she could end up top of the heap internationally.

“I mean – touch wood – she’s got many seasons ahead of her and she’s got good coaches. Jenny Meadows, (Trevor Painter), those guys know what they’re doing. It’s a really good example of British coaching at its best.

“She has (the motivation). I’ve spoken to her enough times to know that mentally, she’s mahogany hard. She really is.

“She is absolutely committed to wanting to end her career at the top of the heap and there’s no reason why she shouldn’t.”

Hodgkinson finished runner-up at the last two world championships but enters this edition as the one to beat after clocking a one minute 54.74seconds world lead in Silesia, then following it up four days later at the Lausanne Diamond League with a meeting record one min 55.69secs under soggy conditions.

It is the combination of the two races that gives Lord Coe the confidence that Hodgkinson is in prime fighting shape to upgrade the silver medals she claimed in Eugene and Budapest.

“You have to marvel at how she has come back,” he added.

“To be out injured and then basically your first step on the track and you’re running 1:54 – she is the real deal.

As it stands there is very little hype surrounding what Keely could achieve this time next week, she has the chance to enter the history books as the youngest ever Olympic and World double champion and be alongside other great names and propel herself above untold other medallists and household names who never came close to what she is about to achieve.

But you can bet your last pound, people like Lord Coe, Dame Kelly Holmes, Jess Eniss_Hill etc will all be shouting from the rafters just what Keely has achieved if it is to happen. The footy girls will be long forgotten has the golden girl will once again sit on her throne as the media pours all there love onto her.