Keely Hodgkinson Sparks Backlash After Mocking Americans Following World Championships Bronze

Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson has sparked controversy after posting a TikTok video mocking Americans just days after winning a bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

The Olympic champion shared a clip of herself rolling her eyes while a voiceover said, "And now I want to sit back and relax and enjoy my evening, when all of a sudden, I hear this agitating, grating voice."

Keely Hodgkinson added her own captions to the video, which read, "When there are Americans in the restaurant", and "they're really the loudest in the room."

The post, which came three days after the former Olympic 800m silver medallist secured bronze in the 800m in Tokyo, Japan drew a mixed reaction.

One American follower commented, "God forbid we have fun," while another simply wrote, "Woah Woah..."

Reigning Olympic 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell, who was also in action at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, also weighed in, commenting, "Hey, not too much!" Keely Hodgkinson quickly replied, "Y'all are the most fun."

However, some users supported her observation. One person wrote, "So real for making this," and another, identifying as American, added, "As an American, yes. We don't claim those people."

The timing of the post is notable, following a challenging performance for Keely Hodgkinson in Tokyo, Japan. Keely Hodgkinson finished third in the women's 800m, narrowly missing out on silver to Great Britain teammate Georgia Hunter Bell.

Lilian Odira claimed the win in the race, crossing the finish line in a personal best and championship record time of 1:54.62 to erase the long-standing record of 1:54.68, set by Czech legend Jarmila Kratochvilova back in 1983.

It has been a difficult season for the athlete, who was sidelined for an extended period with a hamstring injury. Keely Hodgkinson later revealed she had been unwell during the championships, describing her season as "an absolute shitshow."

Despite the setbacks, Keely Hodgkinson remained philosophical about her performance and career trajectory.

"I think when you look at some of the greats in all sports, there are years where they haven't done as well," she explained.

"They've missed podiums, they've missed a complete year... and somehow I've managed to stay on that trajectory, which I think is incredible.

"At the end of my career, I think people remember what you've won, not what you've lost, and this will just go down as part of my journey."

After the 800m final, she reflected on her bronze medal, saying, "I'm happy... to be consistent like that, especially after the year I've had. It's not what I came here for, but I can't be too disappointed."

Meanwhile, Keely Hodgkinson's Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games has led to major sponsorship deals with brands like Nike and Omega, boosting her estimated net worth to around £4 million.