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Georgia Hunter Bell: From Quitting at 23 to European 1500M Gold Favourite
Georgia Hunter Bell remembers the moment she felt her career was over at 23. 'I grew up and was always just good at running, she says. 'I always thought that I would be a professional athlete, go to the Olympics, all of that. So it was quite brutal when I had to make peace with the fact that it was not going to happen.
At that stage Hunter Bell's body was broken. She had been the UK's top 15-year-old after running a 2:08 min 800m, but injuries aggravated by overtraining in the US collegiate system wore her down. She retired, found a job in tech, and did not run on the track for five years.
Then came a comeback straight out of a Hollywood feelgood movie. Over the past two years, the 32-year-old has won six major medals, including an Olympic 1500m bronze, world 800m silver, and world 800m indoor and Commonwealth golds. Now she arrives at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham as Britain's hottest favourite for 1500m gold, learning from Keely Hodgkinson and eyeing an LA 2028 double.
Source: Guardian Sport
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