Story of London athlete Kelly Holmes

There is always a lot of talk about the success of famous personalities, but few people know what is behind these extraordinary achievements. Kelly Holmes has entered the history of British sports as a two-time Olympic champion. She is a purposeful, persistent and courageous person known to many Britons. Learn more at londonka.

Although she was born in Pembury, her life and sporting achievements were connected with London. Here, she was recognised as a national heroine after her victory in Athens.

Childhood and youth

Kelly Holmes grew up in Kent, where she studied at Hildenborough School and from the age of 12 at Hugh Christie Comprehensive School. At that age, the girl began to engage in athletics. She joined the Tonbridge Athletics Club, where her coach was David Arnold. In her second season in 1983, Kelly won the English Schools 1500m.

Kelly Holmes wasn’t always involved just in sports. At the age of 18, she decided to serve in the British Army, where she was a truck driver in the Women’s Royal Army Corps and later a physical training instructor. Everyone was impressed by the sporting achievements of young Kelly. Therefore, she was offered to undergo selection for transfer to the Royal Army Physical Training Corps at Aldershot.

It is worth noting that the girl received a Class 1 PTI qualification. She was also the British Army champion in judo and participated in athletics competitions, winning in the heptathlon. For several years, she combined athletics and army service. After increasing funding in 1997, she decided to become a professional athlete.

Hard work

Kelly Holmes’ hard work certainly paid off. Before the Athens Olympics, she won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and silver medals at the World and European Championships. Her teammates recall her as sociable, determined and friendly. Despite numerous injuries, Holmes took part in major championships and believed in herself. She trained at London’s athletics arenas and often represented the metropolis at national competitions.

Photo source: greatestbritons

In 1996, the athlete took part in the Olympic final in Atlanta with a broken leg. In four years, she prepared for the competition for only six weeks but managed to win bronze in the 800 metres. In 2004, for the first time, Kelly Holmes came to the big competition, the Athens Olympics, without worrying about injuries. She decided to compete in two distances, 800 and 1500 metres. Those two challenges required completely different training, so such a decision was quite bold.

In the final, Kelly ran very fast and didn’t pay attention to the fast start of the other participants. She won the 800 metres, making a decisive leap in the last metres of the race. In the 1500-metre final, she also broke ahead at the end of the race and became the first British woman to win two gold medals at the same Games. Her result of 3 minutes 57.90 seconds became a British record for such a distance.

Sports celebrity

After completing her sports career in 2005, Kelly Holmes started to train young British athletes. She is also ready to help young people realise their dreams by founding the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. Kelly has participated in various charitable projects. The woman speaks openly about mental health and is a motivational speaker.

The athlete was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her achievements. She also made a documentary about the benefits of running for people’s physical and mental health. Kelly Holmes is a role model of courage, resilience and self-belief.