Keely Hodgkinson’s path to stardom began young. Born in Atherton in Wigan, and growing up around the Greater Manchester borough, the 22-year-old had big dreams.

She graduated from Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley. Aged 16, she became the European under-18 champion, while at 17 she won her first national senior title at the British Indoor Championships.

Her athletic talent had been obvious from an early age, with Hodgkinson joining Leigh Harriers at the age of nine and, inspired by Jessica Ennis-Hill’s Olympic heptathlon victory in 2012, soon winning races in her local area.

READ MORE Wigan's Keely Hodgkinson named Sports Personality of the Year after Olympic 800m gold

She added the outdoor title later in 2020, then the following year Hodgkinson broke into the mainstream with a string of prodigious performances.

She first broke two minutes for the first time to set an under-20 world record, the first by a British woman in 36 years, before becoming European indoor champion. Hodgkinson was the youngest ever winner of the 800m at the event in Poland, which marked her senior international debut.

That summer she made her Olympic bow and won the silver medal. Still only a teenager, Hodgkinson’s time of 1min 55.88secs broke Dame Kelly Holmes’ British record.

She finished runner-up at the World Championships in 2022 and 2023, as well as the 2022 Commonwealth Games, with her rivals Athing Mu and Mary Moraa conspiring to keep her off the top step of the podium.

She remained unbeatable at European level both indoors and outdoors, before her brilliant Olympic title in Paris. She won the hearts of Great Britain and brought the nation to its feet when she clinched gold to become the Olympic 800m champion at the 2024 Summer Games.

Hodgkinson’s display of dominance in the Stade de France was the most watched event of the Games on terrestrial television, winning all nine of her 800m races this year and her time of one minute 54.61 seconds, run at the Diamond League meeting in London in July, making her the sixth fastest woman in history.

Next year she will try to make it third time lucky at the World Championships, while she has also targeted breaking Jarmila Kratochvilova’s world record, which has stood since 1983.

The 22-year-old followed up her triumph once again on Tuesday night (December 17) by winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. She has become the fourth female winner in a row of the coveted BBC gong.

After her win, she said: "I am in a bit of shock. I'm more excited for my coach, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for his guidance. Thank you to everyone who voted at home, I hope you enjoyed watching Paris as much as I loved competing in it."

Her former school Fred Longworth posted on X: "Congratulations @keelyhodgkinson on winning the BBC SPOTY award. We knew you could do it and it’s absolutely deserved! Well done from everyone at Freddie’s."

Fans also gushed on social media following her award on Tuesday, as one person posted: "Already one of the greatest British runners of all time. So much ahead of her! A truly amazing athlete and star."

Another posted: "So well deserved - A joy watch Keely become an incredible athlete," as a third penned: "Keely Hodgkinson is an incredible athlete, worthy of every accolade and award. The discipline, strength and power of this woman is unmatched, in the most highly competitive field. I hope she feels every glory from this award."