‘Inspirational’ Sir Mo gave Kelly fast start
SIR MO FARAH’S unforgettable exploits on Super Saturday reduced Hannah Kelly to tears – and proved the spark to ignite the Bury sprinter’s burgeoning athletics career.
Kelly grew up on the track of Bolton United Harriers & Athletics Club and has vivid memories of watching Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford capture the hearts of the nation on that storied Stratford evening in 2012.
All three Team GB stars scooped gold medals – in the 10,000m, heptathlon and long jump respectively – and an 11-year-old Kelly was watching on intently.
Four-time Olympic champion Farah celebrates his 38th birthday today and 200m star Kelly, who is in her second year studying Law at the University of Birmingham, admits she’ll never forget that emotional night nine years ago.
The 20-year-old, who grew up in
Bury with parents Cathy and Chris and older sister Isabelle, said: “I really remember watching Mo at London 2012.
“I remember him on Super Saturday with my family and crying about how amazing he was. He’s so inspirational for the team.
“He helped show that people from here can succeed on an international level. It’s always nice when someone from your team or country is doing well, as it motivates you to do well as well. Watching Super Saturday at London 2012 was one of my first memories watching athletics. Everyone was just so excited and was watching it on the TV.
“I think I can learn from Mo’s dedication and professionalism – that he shows in everything he does. I think the Olympics is always the goal for an athlete, so we’ll see how the future goes.”
Kelly’s career on the track is fuelled by a partnership between Entain – owner of Ladbrokes – and charity SportsAid. The support helps her access funding for training, travel, equipment and mentoring and Kelly is taking full advantage as she trains at the University of Birmingham’s state-of-the-art facilities.
The north-west talent reached the 200m semi-finals at the 2019 Under-20 European Championships in Sweden and is now gearing up for a crack at the Under23 equivalent in Poland this summer.
And next summer marks the Commonwealth
Games in Birmingham, a landmark date on any English athlete’s radar and a unique chance for memorable glory.
Kelly says she’s daring to dream and hopes branching out to the 400m, coupled with the advent of the outdoor season, can accelerate her rise ahead of a key couple of years. “I feel like I’m getting back to being ready to compete again,” she added. “There are the European Under-23s in Poland in the summer, which I’m aiming for.
“And I’m aiming to do more 400m in the future – I’m going to try and do a few this year and then next year, focus on that distance even more. I plan to stay in the sport and hopefully get to elite level – we’ve got the Commonwealths next year.”
● Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. As part of this three-year partnership, Entain are supporting a diverse group 50 of UK athletes per year from a variety of spots and para-sports. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more.
I remember him on Super Saturday and crying about how amazing he was Hannah Kelly