Seeing Is Believing: Inside the Mindset of Keely Hodgkinson

Keely Hodgkinson is a master of balance and contrast.

On the track, the British superstar’s effortless running style masks the pain her body endures. Just watch the Paris 2024 final. Fierce posture and rock-solid torso above a whir of legs. Her rivals’ heads bob, arms flail. Their strain is evident. But Keely is calm and collected. Eyes focused, fixed ahead – seeing is believing, all the way to the line.

And then, straight afterwards, the bright shine of a 1,000-watt personality that has transcended track meets to capture global fandom. With her chirpy sense of humour, disarming honesty, and willingness to show the highs and lows, the 24-year-old is a modern athlete.

Away from the crowds and lights of the sport's biggest stage, Keely remains steadfast in her pursuit of progression. With tunnel vision, she is locked onto the next big thing that excites her. "I really like proving people wrong and doing things that people may not have done before".

Right now that's the 800m World Record. A record that has stood for more than 40 years, with many considering it unbeatable. “I’ve known that I'm able to run in the 1:53s for two years now,” she says. “There's a reason the record has stood for so long – it is incredibly tough, and it's going to take being pushed to get there. But I've seen things in my training where I just think: ‘yeah, one day, that is gonna be broken’.”

One of those moments is a key training session designed to simulate the brutality of the 800m. Simple enough on paper; a handful of 300m repetitions.

Even in 33-degree heat and training alone, we see plenty of calmness and the jovial spirit that defines her racing.

Like all world-class athletes, Keely shares an obsession to explore the limits of what's possible. "I do hold myself to a very high standard" she reveals, "I am constantly obsessed with just getting better, every little inch, 1%. If it [trying something] means I'll get better tomorrow, I’ll do it,”.

Even after all she has achieved, Keely's relentless drive is a marker of the athlete she is. And with razor-sharp margins, the numbers ever more important, making COROS a natural fit. "Our training is so varied, understanding the intensity and load across track workouts, gym sessions and cross-training on the bike adds another dimension."

Keely wears the COROS PACE 4, the ultralight AMOLED GPS watch created for athletes looking for performance, speed, and simplicity, paired with the COROS Heart Rate Monitor. With these training tools, Keely's able to track every split as she looks to shave off milliseconds over two laps of the track.

As she enters a big summer of racing, we are proud to have joined forces with such an ambitious athlete. We know as well as Keely that risk gets reward when you’re courageous. It’s always earned, and never given.

Whatever happens this season – whether history is made with a record-breaking run or not – Keely Hodgkinson believes that she is still getting up to speed. She’s got the world at her fast feet, but that’s not enough:

“I’m not done yet. Nowhere near.”