Team Behind Keely Hodgkinson’s Golden Rise Drives 800m World Record Pursuit
The M11 Track Club’s foundations were established long before Keely Hodgkinson’s father proposed the now globally recognized name. Trevor Painter, who brings a background in rugby league and an impressive 47-second 400-meter personal best, has guided Hodgkinson’s development since she was 17. Prior to that, he coached Jenny Meadows to international success.
From Vision to Global Recognition in Two Years
It has taken just two years for Meadows’ vision of an official Manchester-based training group to become reality and earn a worldwide reputation.
“I think everyone thought I was quite deluded. I had a vision of this happening, but I didn’t quite know how we were going to achieve it,” says Meadows.
“At first, when we would hear people from other nations talk about M11, I was almost like, ‘oh my gosh, they’ve said M11’. It’s almost like a project that I brought home from school, and people are talking about it.”
“Now people know instantly: that’s Jenny and Trevor, that’s some of the best athletes in the world. You don’t have to explain what M11 is. It’s pretty incredible.”
Olympic Success Accelerates Growth
Reaching that stage was never a given. The process was undoubtedly accelerated by Hodgkinson’s rise to Olympic gold, and further medals at Paris 2024 for teammates Hunter Bell and Lewis Davey.
The sustained success on the track has allowed Painter and Meadows to expand the scale of their operation, with backing from big-name sponsors helping to add an assistant coach, track-side physiotherapist, and dedicated physiologist.
“Back in the day, it was difficult because you’re working on a shoestring budget, trying to make things happen,” says Painter.
“But, as Keely comes along and does well, you get a little bit of help from here and there.”
“Then, as more people come and we have more success, we can go back to the sponsors and they give us a little more. It pays for strength and conditioning support, nutrition support, trackside physiotherapy – all which keep the athletes healthy.”
“If they’re healthy, they can do their job of running as fast as they can.”
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