Golden Trio by Ann Packer, Kelly Holmes and Koley Hodgkinson unite on the Great Manchester Run on Sunday
Three generations of British Olympic 800m champions met for the first time at the Great Manchester Run on Sunday (May 18).
Ann Packer won Olympic Gold at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 together with British champions at those competitions – Lynn Lynn Davies, Race Walker Ken Matthews and combined Evennter Mary Rand.
Packer competition internationally in the sprints, obstacles and jumps and was the fourth pentatle of Great Britain in 1963. In the Tokyo competitions she was better known as at 400m Runner.
ACE AW Editor at the time, Mel Watman, wrote: “It was a journey to the unknown, but Packer raced with a flawless judgment. Sixth in the bell in 59.1 she finished third in 600m in 90.7 and second place in Maryvonne Dupurur around the last turn.
While the crowd of almost 70,000 of excitement roared and the British supporters almost went Berserk, Packer rushed along the rival entry of her defender and with a delicious smile on her face the band broke five meters to win an Olympic track title. “
Great -Britain had to wait 40 years for another 800m champion of the ladies when Kelly Holmes beat the Athens matches in 2004 and later completed to Golden Double with a 1500m victory.
Read more: Ann Packer and the class of 1964
In her 800m victory we reported: “While they went straight on, Holmes took over. She was ahead, he was gold and there was no responsibility of Mutola, but there were two sources that looked like they had been beaten.
“As the line got closer, Hasna Benhassi from Morocco and Slovenia’s Jolanda Ceplak walked closer. But not Angouh. Holmes won, not that she even believed it, her eyes look like they would jump out of their sockets while she waited for confirmation Scoroboard.
“She triggered in 1: 56.38, after the best time of the season for Benhassi, which was second in 1: 56.43, to the national record, with Ceplak third in 1: 56.43.”
Read more: Holmes’ Golden Double
Twenty years later, Keely Hodgkinson completed a hat trick of British 800m victors at the Olympic Games while she hit gold in Paris. She easily checked the race and clocks 1: 56.72 to beat Tsigie Dugma of Ethiopia and Mary Mora of Kenya.
“This is the first time we’ve ever been together!” Said Holmes.
Hodgkinson added: “I also just became a member of the club.”
Packer, who is now 83 years old, said: “When I won, it was the early days of 800m and Spronters did not really go into that event at that time.
Read more: Keely Hodgkinson’s route to Paris Glory
Holmes added: “Like Ann, it was not the intention to do the 800m Eithher. And as everyone saw on my face, it was also a shock. It was not as big as Ann won in 1964, but a victory of A Win, right?”
Hodgkinson said: “Paris was everything I dreamed of … And I was meant to do the 800m at the Olympic Games! I was certainly inspired by the big ladies who also came for me.”
