Keely Hodgkinson attends the NTA's 2024 at The O2 Arena on September 11, 2024 in London, England
Keely Hodgkinson is the favourite to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year
Keely Hodgkinson led the pack at the Olympic Games – and now she's the frontrunner to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
The Atherton native won Great Britain's heart and brought the nation to its feet when she struck gold to become the Olympic 800m champion at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. Subsequently, Hodgkinson has been the favourite to be named SPOTY for some time, and she was officially confirmed to be in the final shortlist on December 9.
Her story is one of inspiration, having come so close to winning at the Tokyo Games four years prior, but she had to settle for a silver medal then. Next Tuesday (December 17), though, the 22-year-old will find out if she can add the iconic SPOTY trophy to her already gleaming collection.
As the UK awaits the awards ceremony, Mirror Sport takes a look at other fascinating aspects of her life.
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Who are the BBC SPOTY nominees?
Hodgkinson is the bookies favourite, but there are several other big stars who will be competing with her. England footballer Jude Bellingham will be among the contenders, after winning La Liga and the Champions League in his debut campaign with Real Madrid, while also being part of the Three Lions' run to the Euro 2024 final.
Darts' teenage hero Luke Littler is also one of the favourites, while Olympic triathlon gold medallist Alex Yee, England cricket legend Joe Root and Para-cyclist Sarah Storey make up the rest of the nominees.
Keely Hodgkinson's net worth
Gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson of Team Great Britain (C) celebrates by kissing the medal on the podium during the Women's 800m medal ceremony on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France
Gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson of Team Great Britain (C) celebrates by kissing the medal on the podium during the Women's 800m medal ceremony on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France
In November, Hodgkinson was estimated to have a net worth of around £250,000. However, this figure is bound to increase, as sports finance expert Dr Rob Wilson tipped her to earn around £1million per year until the next Olympics in 2028.
She was estimated to have earned a minimum of £39,000 for winning gold at the Olympics. If she scoops up the SPOTY award, her fame and status will grow, which more often than not results in her net worth also sky-rocketing.
In August, Wilson, told Saxo: "Keely is already becoming one of the most recognisable faces for UK athletics. Now she has managed to grab the gold, she can expect a stellar relationship with brands, marketing agencies, and UK Athletics, becoming a poster athlete for endorsements and associated commercial activities."
Keely Hodgkinson's dating life
While she opted not to reveal their identity, Hodgkinson admitted the long distance between her and her former partner "killed" their relationship. The Team GB hero told the Sunday Times that she dated a fellow runner, but the fact they had to live so far away from each other made things too difficult.
She said: "Long-distance killed it. He was living in Texas and then Italy, and with my schedule, we could go weeks without seeing each other. It was tough.”
She also added: "I’m not really interested in dating right now. I’ve never been on the apps. I like meeting people in real life."
Man Utd bestie
Hodgkinson and Toone have been friends for years ( Image: Twitter)
Hodgkinson is not the only sporting star who has won the nation's heart in her friendship circle. She is also great friends with Manchester United's Ella Toone.
The European Championship winner and Women's Super League star has been friends with Hodgkinson since the pair were growing up in Atherton. In fact, Hodgkinson was affectionately known as 'Mini Ella' as a child, due to the amount of time she spent with the midfielder.
In an interview with the Mirror, Hodgkinson opened up about her friendship with Toone when she said: "We are just two young girls living their dreams. Ella and I went to school together. She was two years older but somehow we ended up getting on really well. I was referred to as the ‘mini Ella’ so we always kept in touch."