Manchester United and Lioness star Ella Toone emotionally cheers on ‘childhood friend’ Keely Hodgkinson as latter wins Gold at Paris Olympics

Ella Toone posted a video of herself on the official account of Manchester United Women where she was seen cheering for Keely Hodgkinson.

Manchester United and Lioness star Ella Toone emotionally cheers on ‘childhood friend’ Keely Hodgkinson as latter wins Gold at Paris Olympics

Ella Toone and Keely Hodgkinson, image courtesy: X

Keely Hodgkinson turned years of pain into absolution as she went onto clinch the gold medal in the 800m at Paris Olympics. While she ran the final yard, she looked up to see who were her last stretch competitor and eventually she saw no one as she swiped across the finishing line. Miles away from her, roaring in unwavering support of her landing the gold medal was her childhood friend, Manchester United and England Women’s legend, Ella Toone.

In a video posted on Manchester United Women’s official account, Toone was seen excitedly screaming for her childhood buddy, Hodgkinson as she stormed her way through the horde of her counterparts and eventually when the latter managed to get across that final yard, Toone raised her hands in the air and leap in sheer ecstasy.

YouTube video
Congratulations Keely, I’ve just been screaming at the tele! I am so proud of you, everyone was rooting for you back home, you have done us all proud, and Fred Longworth proud as well. Enjoy the celebrations – come on Keely!
Ella Toone posted in a video shared on Manchester United’s official website

Like Ella Toone, Keely Hodgkinson is a Manchester United fan and both of them attended Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester. Toone is two years elder to Hodgkinson but the duo have been very close friends since their school days.

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A glance at how Ella Toone and Keely Hodgkinson has revolutionized women’s sport

Toone is a legend in English women’s football and started her career with Blackburn Rovers where she played for two years, featuring in 20 matches while hammering 13 goals. Such an impressive form inspired Manchester City to show interest in her.

:Ella Toone
Leah Galton and Ella Toone, image courtesy: X

However, her stint at Etihad could only get her five games before their city rivals, Manchester United decided to swoop her and since then she has been unstoppable. From the 121 games that she has played for the Red Devils, she has scored 40 goals until now. She has also been a mainstay in the English national team where she has featured in 51 matches while scoring 19 goals.

Initially a swimmer, Keely Hodgkinson, inspired by Jessica Ennis-Hill who won the heptathlon gold at London 2012, decided to take up athletics. At the tender age of 13, she had to go for a surgery which involved the removal of a non-cancerous cancer from the left side of her brain.

The surgery led to her taking a forced break from the sport for a year but once she was back, she started rewriting records at will. She clinched the gold in Paris by clocking a personal best of 1 minute 54.61 seconds, leapfrogging her record set in the London Diamond League.

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