Keely Hodgkinson is a huge talent and she could very well add World Championship gold to her silver from the Olympics and last year's World Championships. Photo: PA/Martin Rickett
On the day when English women can win the World Cup, Jarnel Hughes has every chance of becoming the fastest man on the planet.
Brilliant 800m runner Kili Hodgkinson could then follow her classmate Ella Thoon — the scorer in England's 3-1 semi-final victory over Australia — to take the top spot in the world. And yet, what place do Hodgkinson and Hughes currently occupy in the public mind compared to the Lionesses?
The answer will change over the next year leading up to the Paris Olympics, but when you consider that their closest recent equivalents were Linford Christie and Dame Kelly Holmes, two former BBC Sports Personalities of the Year, you can see how the sands of British sport have changed. .
The World Championships in Athletics, which starts on Saturday, offers the best platform outside of the Olympics, and in Hughes and Hodgkinson, Britain has two athletes who have been the best in the world so far this year. Already a European champion, World and Olympic silver medalist, Hodgkinson was featured in Vogue this month, but rightfully focused more on performance than profile.
Indeed, while talking on this In her «confession» week with reporters, her mention of being approached by an athletics fan at Manchester's Albert's Schloss once suggests that this is hardly an everyday occurrence. It's safe to assume that Emma Răducanu, who has not won a tennis tournament for almost two years, does not enjoy such anonymity.
«Whether I'm approached depends on where I'm at and who's around,» Hodgkinson said, sending Tuna a screenshot of a giant photo of his girlfriend now on display outside Old Trafford.
«There are brands that reach out to me, but I'm completely protective of the ones I work with because basically I just want to grow up to be a professional athlete.
«Now I am» I have Nike, Omega, Maurten and I'm quite happy with it. When you work with brands, they also want something in return. Days here, days in London, media days. My top priority is training.
Hodgkinson was the top 800m runner this year and one of the favorites for the gold in Budapest . Photo: Getty Images/Hussein Yavuz
“For me, it [Vogue] was just kind of fun. Most young girls like to just express themselves in something outside of the work environment. I'm sure that after 2012, Jessica Ennis-Hill probably wouldn't have been able to go to many places without recognition.
“It has changed. Definitely. I really think that we as athletes work a lot harder than in some other sports and we don't get the recognition we deserve. Preparing for these events is hard. Football players think they are in shape. They just don't because if you put them on the track, they won't keep up. I don't think people are aware of what's going on behind the scenes.»
With that in mind, Hodgkinson is happy that athletics has opened the doors to Netflix filming these World Championships, albeit with a focus on sprinters. She knows from experience that the Olympic focus will be on a different level next year and recognizes that athletes and administrators need to “bring people back and love athletics again” – it’s a two-way process.
Hodgkinson's anticipated bout with Ating Moo promised to be one of the highlights of the championship, even though the involvement of the reigning Olympic and world champion was the source of some mystery. The latest message from the US camp on Friday was that she would be racing.
Hodgkinson is adamant that she wants a big face-to-face meeting, not what would be a much easier route to gold. «It would be a disappointment — I really enjoy racing with her,» she said.
Lord Coe, who was front-page news in his prime and is now president of World Athletics, grimaced this week when it was suggested that the sport lacked superstars and pointed to seven world records this season already. «In terms of a lot of talent, I think we're in better shape than ever,» he said. “You will never replace Usain Bolt. No one has replaced Muhammad Ali. These are special magnesium symbols.”
Hughes will start on Saturday with the 100m and, having been part of Bolt's training group in Jamaica since 2011, knows a lot about arguably the world's biggest track and field star. “I was 16 years old, skinny, toothpick-like, and being in the presence of greatness was just one of those surreal moments,” he said. “I just needed to pinch myself. I think I was struck by a little star. Usain didn't even know who I was.
Jarnel Hughes was the fastest 100m runner this year. Photo: Getty Images/Matt McNulty
“But being in that environment definitely helped me as a young man to stay committed, to keep that tenacity. I'm pretty sure he's watching plays now. And he is proud of me. He'll punch me here and there.»
«I'm taking a first-class game with me. It's a bit tense in there [in the pre-race meeting room]. You can feel the tension. They are trying to intimidate you. You hear little grunts. But it's a little hard for me to understand right now, [and] what the mind believes, the body can achieve.»
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