I ran the 800m after Keely Hodgkinson's Olympic gold medal and realised just how awesome she is

The Atherton-born athlete won silver in Tokyo at the age of only 19, and now aged 22, the runner has struck gold.

It is my firm belief that everyone watches the Olympics and believes that they can still make it, and I am no exception, but to prove just how quick Keely’s time of 1.56.72 really was, I decided to hit the track and give it a go. Suffice it to say, I left feeling thoroughly beaten.

Hodgkinson runs at an average speed of more than 15mph to achieve her time, with is remarkably fast. She finished her race in less time than it takes to boil the kettle, scramble some eggs, or heat a microwave curry.

It is startlingly quick, and it is no surprise at all that she is now the recipient of a mural in the Northern Quarter.

Watch our video report above to see how I got on when taking on the 800m.