She’s up there – Lord Coe places Keely Hodgkinson among all-time British greats

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy World Athletics president Lord Coe is convinced “real deal” and newly crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year Keely Hodgkinson has already ascended to British great status. I would be hard pushed to place any female athlete significantly above her in the history of our sport in the last 50 years.” Hodgkinson ran a personal 800 metres best of 1:54.61 at the London Diamond League meet in July, still some way off Jarmila Kratochvilova’s world record 1:53.28. I think she’s the real deal Lord Coe on Keely Hodgkinson Asked if the Briton would be capable of going under the Czech athlete’s 41-year-old marker, two-time Olympic 1500 metres champion Coe replied: “I’d love to see that for all sorts of reasons, actually. But I think she’s got the scope and the capability, and she’s certainly got the coaching structures.” Coe was quick to point out that it was someone from athletics, middle and long-distance runner Christopher Chataway, who was crowned the inaugural Sports Personality of the Year winner in 1954.