Keely Hodgkinson shows true colours as she speaks out about what athletics has cost her

Keely Hodgkinson shows true colours as she speaks out about what athletics has cost her Keely Hodgkinson is going for gold at the European Athletics Championships after making numerous sacrifices to get where she is Keely Hodgkinson has opened up about the sacrifices she made to become one of world athletics' biggest stars. The Olympic 800m champion, 24, has the world at her feet as she looks to become European champion in Birmingham this week. But it hasn't all been plain sailing for the Manchester-born sensation, who has been forced to swerve some aspects of life most young women take for granted, most notably the time away from family and friends. Speaking ahead of the European Championships, she was asked what her success had cost her over the years. Hodgkinson told the Time to ZOOM In show with Jeremiah Azu: "I think it costs you a lot of sacrifice from family and friends. "I travel a lot, so I spend a lot of months of the year not at home. I'm quite fortunate that when I do go back home, my family's there." JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page Hodgkinson admits her focus on her sport means she hasn't been able to explore other, undiscovered parts of her personality. She added: "Also, some parts of my personality. It [athletics] comes with a lot of discipline and time where you're thinking about how you can be better. "I'm big on self-improvement, both in personality and physically. You spend so much time on that, that you could have missed out on a whole other part of you that you haven't discovered." Meanwhile, Hodgkinson insisted she has nothing to prove after kicking off her quest for a hat-trick of successive European titles with victory in her opening 800m heat in Birmingham. Hodgkinson crossed the line in one minute, 57.28 seconds, fastest of the heats. The Briton's showdown with Swiss rival Audrey Werro has been billed as the race of the championships, but Hodgkinson is taking it all in stride. She said: "I don't think I need to put out any kind of statement. I back myself, I don't need to go crazy trying to prove anything. "That will come in the final, hopefully, when it really matters. Happy to do that, happy to be in shape and healthy, most importantly. I'm just ready." Hodgkinson is set for a scorching semi-final in Birmingham, where an amber warning for "extreme heat" has been issued for Thursday. The 800m semis at the Alexander Stadium start at 12.10pm, when the Met Office expects the temperature to hit 32 degrees Celsius. A DAZN Ultimate subscription provides more than 185 fight nights per year plus a minimum of 12 PPV events at no extra cost.