World Athletics Boss Seb Coe Makes Rare Admission on What Makes Keely Hodgkinson Stand Out

World Athletics President Lord Seb Coe has lauded British 800m star Keely Hodgkinson as one of the most genuine individuals he knows, recalling a recent chance meeting with the athlete on her birthday.

At just 24, Keely Hodgkinson has become a leading figure in British athletics, winning over fans with her down-to-earth personality.

Seb Coe, a two-time Olympic 1500m champion, shared his admiration for the Greater Manchester native during an appearance on the UNTAPPED podcast.

"What I love about Keely is she is probably the most, forget athletics, she's probably the most authentic person I currently know," Coe stated.

The former head of the London 2012 Olympics organising committee described Hodgkinson as someone who is transparent and grounded.

"What you see with Keely is what you get. She is very funny, she's totally driven, but she puts things in perspective," he added.

Coe recounted a recent encounter in Manchester that highlighted her character. "I was up in Manchester not that long ago and I bumped into her one night going into a restaurant. I was on my way out," he explained.

"She turned up, and it was her birthday. It was a couple of weeks... I mean, she'd only just broken the indoor world record."

He noted that despite her recent success, including a dominant World Indoor title victory just days later, Hodgkinson was simply enjoying a normal celebration.

"She's just completely normal, but she is incredibly well talented. She's got a great coaching team around her," Coe said.

He also praised her strong connection to her roots, saying, "I'm probably going to lose whatever fan base I've got left in the south of England, but she's absolutely rooted to the north of England, and that for me counts for a lot in life."

Hodgkinson is preparing to begin her 2026 outdoor season at the Rome Diamond League in June after experimenting with shorter distances.

Her coach, Jenny Meadows, believes the athlete is on track to achieve her long-term ambitions, including potentially breaking one of athletics' oldest records.

"Because she has those months now of consistent training this winter, she's hitting outdoor times indoors, and it just makes me really excited," Meadows commented. "I think she will be running those 1:53s that she's so desperate to run."