PARIS, France -- Keely Hodgkinson has played down the pressure to win Olympic gold in the women's 800 metres as she enters this Games as Team GB's poster girl.
Hodgkinson, 22, has an impressive CV for her age that includes three major silver medals, including at Tokyo 2020. However, after setting a British record at the London Diamond League on Saturday and without main rival Athing Mu to compete with, she is the favourite in the event at the Stade de France on Aug. 4.
"I'm just doing the final prep here and just coming off the adrenaline rush of the weekend and just trying to stay focused for what's ahead," Hodgkinson told reporters.
When asked if she sees parallels in her pre-Games experience with that of Jessica Ennis-Hill before London 2012, she said: "I haven't really thought about it to be honest, but it's quite a privilege to follow in her footsteps as if anyone sees me as a poster to girl like she was, that's quite a good achievement.
"I'm just privileged to be in this position and hopefully I can go on and do what she did, bring home my goals.
"I'm not going to say that it doesn't go through my head or anything like that, but I think I just kind have to forget about it.
"Obviously what happened last week is great and it filled me with confidence, but I've still got two more weeks to go, loads of rounds to navigate and there is pressure there. For me, I would just go back to basics and take it race by race, get the job done each round and then go from there."
Hodgkinson will run in the first round of the women's 800 metres on Aug. 4 as she begins her quest to win Olympic gold.