Tokyo Games breakthrough star Keely Hodgkinson has fulfilled another of her dreams after driving James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5.
The 19-year-old student was promised the ride as an incentive by her millionaire benefactor Barrie Wells.
Mr Wells, a millionaire business tycoon from Liverpool and huge athletics fan, sponsored Keely after she missed out on funding in preparation for Tokyo, despite being one of UK Athletics’ rising stars.
He also promised her a spin in an Aston Martin if she made the 800 metre final – where she took silver.
And he duly fulfilled his promise with Keely getting behind the wheel of the car on Tuesday.
Keely, from Atherton, Greater Manchester, said: “I’ve had the privilege of driving a beautiful James Bond DB5, which is used in the films, incredible.
“Obviously, Barrie Wells promised me this when I made the Olympic final so it’s really great to fulfil that dream here.
“I reached 50 miles per hour but that feels a lot faster in a little DB5, so yeah, it was cool.”
Mr Wells, 81, who has made millions creating and selling on financial companies, stepped in to allow Ms Hodgkinson to prepare for the Olympics, as the student at Leeds Beckett University was reliant on her parents.
How it started: How it's going:
Hope you enjoyed the ride @keelyhodgkinson!#AstonMartin pic.twitter.com/DENOwiOvlk
— Aston Martin (@astonmartin) August 24, 2021
It meant she was able to do warm weather training in Florida in preparation for Tokyo.
Mr Wells had previously sponsored 18 athletes for the London 2012 games, including Jessica Ennis and Katarina Johnson-Thompson. The philanthropist and his charity the Barrie Wells Trust then concentrated on another initiative, Box4Kids, providing corporate boxes at sporting events for seriously ill children and their families.
Keely was joined by six Box4Kids guests at the Aston Martin factory in Newport Pagnell for the day out involving the car famously driven by 007.
