Dame Kelly Holmes

Completed rare 800m/1500m Olympic double in Athens 2004.

Dame Kelly Holmes was born in Pembury, Kent in 1970 and won the most celebrated double in British Olympic history — the 800m and 1500m at the Athens Games in 2004, achieving what no British athlete had done since Albert Hill in 1920. She competed from 1993 to 2005. Her personal bests of 1:56.21 for 800m and 3:57.90 for 1500m — both achieved at Athens — placed her among the finest middle-distance runners of her generation. Her journey to Athens was marked by extraordinary personal struggle: she suffered 5 stress fractures, tendonitis, a ruptured Achilles and clinical depression during her career, at one point self-harming during a period of deep psychological crisis she later disclosed publicly. She won Commonwealth gold at the 1500m in 2002 and European gold at the 800m in 2002. She was created a Dame in 2005 — the first female track athlete to receive the honour. Her 2024 public coming out — announcing she was gay at 54 — was met with widespread support and prompted discussion about the pressures on LGBTQ+ athletes during her competitive years. She is now a prominent advocate for mental health awareness in sport.

Holmes was known for her tactical intelligence and devastating finishing kick in the final 200 meters of races. She excelled at positioning herself strategically throughout races before unleashing a powerful sprint finish that few competitors could match.

First British woman to win two individual Olympic golds in athletics

• 2004 Olympic gold 800m & 1500m
• 2003 World champ 1500m