What it takes to become an Olympic runner | Sport Explained

The Times spends a day with Scottish middle-distance runner Jemma Reekie as she prepares for Paris 2024.
Reekie, born in a North Ayrshire town famed for poets and smugglers. A mere 0.09 seconds off a bronze medal in the 800m in Tokyo three years ago, she confesses that’s she was then “broken”, “terrified” and “frazzled” by the lingering effects of glandular fever and the severed alliance with long-term coach Andy Young amid accusations of controlling behaviour. That was a year ago.
She knows how difficult that will be. Keely Hodgkinson is the fastest this year with a time of 1min 55.78sec. Reekie is ranked third in the world with a best ever mark of 1:56.90.
With the barring of Russian drug cheats and athletes with differences of sexual development, the 800m is more open these days, but challenges and dangers lurk with every step.
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[@felixlingelbach2758]

Nice video, thank you. I am a fan of her since I saw her the first time a couple of years ago. I like it when she gets aggressive, when she switches into attack mode. Great to watch! All the best for Paris!

[@josephharrington7129]

Her joy of running is so present and wonderful to see. I wish her all the best in Paris.

[@DanielNowak-xj5oc]

Goodluck at Paris ! I hope you win the Gold medal 🥇 Jenna Reekie !

[@timphillips5543]

Love Jemma. Been plugging away at it for years so close to the very best in world, unfortunately plagued by misfortune. She deserves a medal in Paris

[@user-xn2hf9re8r]

what a beautiful trio - I think she's so lucky having the Gunnells for support

[@MrSufi69]

Lovely to see her love for her sport

[@jacquelinejuana34]

Thanks for sharing ❤

[@paddycunningham6834]

Pleasure to watch 👍

[@shankarbalakrishnan2360]

Being an Olympian is always good hope the world leaders could be one❤❤🎉🎉

[@fredhoy6697]

Good luck Jemma.

[@1225elb]

AWESOME

[@colmobrien9558]

Cool, now I have somebody to cheer on in the Olympics. Makes it so much better.

[@alst4817]

Go on Gemma! Your ’easy run’ pace is my 400m! Best of luck!

[@steffen1405]

Good luck!

[@deanrobinson2459]

Amazing to think she's only just started with weights! All the best for Paris.

[@shankarbalakrishnan2360]

Aiming for higher than air❤❤🎉🎉

[@sueregan2890]

I ran against John years ago and a more experienced and knowledgeable coach it would be hard to find.Steve Holland.

[@papadadyba6598]

Tu es la meilleure comme je t'aime et je t'adore beaucoup

[@dariogonzalez7256]

💓 very good

[@asdfxdxd]

I like her!

[@nickievandermerwe1582]

"Nah is not funney eive got schwooll".

[@tonchanthol5329]

❤❤❤

[@jakeva9802]

What kind of accent does she have?

[@lindymoyo9118]

Scottish

[@trondranorquoy5154]

South west Scotland accent.

[@jakeva9802]

@@trondranorquoy5154 there’s a difference?

[@eddiegainz1673]

Spanish

[@ebutuoyYT]

A Hyundai

[@Mankymeg]

How Sally Gunnell was never made a Dame i will never know she held the commonwealth, European world ,and olympic titles plus world record ,best female athlete Britain ever had

[@honor9lite1337]

Grewt😮

[@a.r.f.l_38]

😍😍😍😍

[@imob1010]

Gold in 800m? Not a chance. Competition in that event is very deep.

[@yeahyeahblah]

Keely Hodgkinson is the strong favourite for gold in the 800m. Jemma is certainly in contention for medals. Jemma posted the fifth fastest 800m time this year, only 0.2 seconds behind the third fastest 2024 800m time and anything can happen on race day.

[@SBanderaB]

Great video but no a great advert for kids - it's another dumbing down of Britain video. Children please work hard at school because once you have the grades and knowledge it can never be taken away from you. Most decent jobs require a degree nowadays and hopefully your parents will push you to do well at school. As for Reekie - I think she isn't fast enough to medal at the Olympics and it will be an achievement to get into the final. Running 55 or 56 for 400m just wont cut it with the top girls, sorry bit your coach should have told you this and worked on your speed - no idea why you have over raced this too, come Paris you will find it hard to peak. Wish you the best and who knows in a slow bumpy 800m - just ask Athing Mu.

[@ragger121]

You clearly don't understand anything about track and field then

[@trondranorquoy5154]

Not every video has to be about education and Reekie can go back to education after her athletics career. Many lawyers and increasingly doctors are mature students. I wonder if you are biased against her accent and are letting that lead you into believing she is uneducated in some way? The 800m isn't a sprint, its a speed endurance event and the Reekie is literally shown developing just that. I'm not sure what you think 800m runners do exactly in training but its not based on 400m times - Mu is very much an outlier in terms of 400m speed and there is huge variation amongst successful 800m runners. Reekie is one of the best athletes in the world at 800m and in a tactical race, anything can happen. Please don't try to give people, particularly women, what you think is "advice" - you are far too negative and you have a poor attitude which seems only good for producing obedient foot soldiers and certainly not outstanding athletes.

[@ademarbenitezaranjo8299]

hahahaha, thanks for the comic relief, kids, you can do both, be a great track athlete and a brilliant student, don't heed the nay sayers !

[@MrAgbxl]

Degrees are often useless

[@washingtonferreirateles9451]

This comment really shows how much you know. And it's even funnier now after her perfomance in the London DL, running a 1:55.61 PB and entering the top 25 all times list