Keely Hodgkinson Opens Up On Friendship With Georgia Hunter Bell: 'I Don't Know What I'll Do When She Retires'

The friendship between Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell was on full display at the World Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland.

After completing her 1500m race, Georgia Hunter Bell stayed trackside, pausing everything else to watch Hodgkinson compete in the 800m.

The world 800m silver medallist was seen enthusiastically cheering her on as Keely Hodgkinson stormed to victory in a championship record time, highlighting the strong bond between the two athletes.

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However, the reigning Olympic 800m champion has opened up about the one thing she is stressed about concerning her friendship with Georgia Hunter Bell.

In an interview on the Inside Lane, Keely Hodgkinson spoke about the close bond she shares with Georgia Hunter Bell, explaining that their friendship has only grown stronger despite competing against each other last year.

The world 800m bronze medallist revealed that training alongside Georgia Hunter Bell has been a unique source of motivation, as having a fellow athlete of such calibre pushing her in sessions has greatly enhanced her own performance.

Keely Hodgkinson emphasised how much she values Hunter Bell’s presence not just on the track but as part of the wider training group, describing the camaraderie and fun they share as making each session more enjoyable and fulfilling.

She admitted that she feels uncertain about how she will cope when Georgia Hunter Bell eventually retires, highlighting how important her friend has become in her daily training routine.

Keely Hodgkinson also praised Georgia Hunter Bell’s personality, calling her hilarious and noting the genuine joy and support they provide one another. She also expressed deep gratitude for the friendship, describing herself as blessed to have Hunter Bell and the rest of their training group as part of her sporting life.

“She's great. I love Georgia. No, honestly, a lot of people probably wouldn't even believe it, but us, like, competing against each other last year actually made us better friends. Weirdly enough, I know, and I couldn't be more grateful for Georgia. I don't know what I'm going to do when she retires, I actually don't, because she gets to take training reps with me, you know, it's really great to have, like, a woman who can push me in training, and, you know, girls run one to four,” Keely Hodgkinson said.

“She's great. We push each other. We have a great friendship. We get on so well. Georgia's hilarious. And we just have a lot of fun. The M11 group that we've got going on, I love every single one of them. I love coming to train every single day. They make it so much more enjoyable than it could be. I'm honestly so blessed to have the people around me. And she's one of them. I didn't even know what she did.”

Keely Hodgkinson reflected on her experience competing in the 800m at the World Indoor Championships, describing the immense pressure and anticipation that come with chasing a global title.

She explained that despite the nerves and the growing intensity of the competition, she thrives under the challenge and approached the start line confident in her preparation and peak physical condition.

Keely Hodgkinson also spoke about her unexpected involvement in the 4x400m relay, revealing that she had not initially planned to participate in the event.

She recounted asking her coach, Trevor Painter, if she could run the 400m, and after his approval, she gradually integrated into the relay team, building her role week by week.

She described the process as exciting and rewarding, emphasising the unpredictable nature of sport and her enjoyment of the journey, celebrating both the fun and the opportunities that unfolded along the way.

“Nothing was getting in between me and a global title. It's tough. You know, it never, never gets easier. The nerves never go. The anticipation never goes away. The pressure only gets harder. But I love it. I was on the start line today, and I was just like, you know what, I'm in the shape of my life. Fuck it, I'm going to send it. I'm going to send it,” she said.

“Coming into this indoors, like, I didn't set any goals. I was just like, this is my fourth time trying to get here. So, I was like, you know what, we'll just go, I wasn't planning to do the 4x4. I literally said to Trevor, I was like, can I do 400? And he was like, yeah.

“And I was like, maybe if it goes well, they'll put me in the team. And we just built week by week. And here I am. And it was great. It was so much fun. You just don't know what's around the corner, what can happen in life. I'm here for the ride.”