Hodgkinson needs Olympic or World win, insists Michael Johnson

Keely Hodgkinson must win the Olympics or World Championships to cement her status as British athletics' next superstar, according to American icon Michael Johnson. Hodgkinson, 20, announced herself on the world stage by winning 800m silver at the Tokyo Olympics last year while still a teenager before matching that result in this summer's World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Ad She finally landed her first major outdoor title in August with 800m gold at the European Championships in Munich but sprinting royalty Johnson called for the Manchester ace to kick on and top the podium at the events where all her competitors are in attendance. AthleticsJohnson calls for athletics to learn lessons from progressive PTOYESTERDAY AT 13:24 «At her level, to be completely honest, you've got to win the World Championships and the Olympics,» said Johnson, speaking as an ambassador at the Professional Triathletes Organisation's US Open in his hometown of Dallas.

«You've got to win the ones where everyone's there and she's medalled, which is great, especially at her young age. »When you think about her career, the silver medal at the Olympic Games, the medal at the World Championships where everybody is there, is more impressive than the gold medal at the Europeans.

«That's pretty impressive and it bodes well for the future once you medal at a global major championships — there's a debate as to what a major championship is, in my book it's the World Championships or the Olympics where everyone is there. »I think she really understands and has embraced the idea that she wants to be a world champion or Olympic champion and she has an opportunity.