Who are Keely Hodgkinson’s coaches Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows?

TREVOR Painter and Jenny Meadows are the coaching duo behind British middle-distance runner Keely Hodgkinson’s success.

They’ll no doubt be beaming with pride as Keely is the bookies’ favourite to take home BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2024.

Who is Trevor Painter?

Trevor Painter is the founder and head coach of M11 Track Club, Manchester, which specialises in coaching middle-distance events.

He has been coaching athletes for almost 25 years and has guided more than 30 athletes to international level.

Trevor received the Coaching Achievement Award as part of the World Athletics Awards 2024, recognising his outstanding contributions to coaching at all levels in athletics.

He holds an MSc in Elite Coaching Practice from the University of Central Lancashire and is known for his scientific approach to training.

Who is Jenny Meadows?

Jenny Meadows, a former world-class 800m runner, works alongside Trevor as a coach at M11 Track Club.

She brings her vast experience as an international athlete to the coaching partnership, offering valuable insights and wisdom both on and off the track.

Her role extends beyond just technical coaching — she acts as a mentor and life coach to the athletes.

Philosophy

Jenny and Trevor are known for their unique approach to coaching, which includes:

• Creating the right environment: They focus on making training enjoyable and fostering a fun atmosphere to retain athletes.
• Flexibility: They adapt their coaching style to suit individual athletes, recognising the importance of not constraining “free spirits” like Keely Hodgkinson.
• Holistic development: They emphasise the importance of athletes having a life outside of training, encouraging them to seize opportunities wherever possible.
• Scientific approach: Trevor handles the technical aspects and science, while Jenny complements this with her practical experience.

Achievements

Under their guidance, the M11 Track Club has produced several world-class athletes, including:

• Keely Hodgkinson: Olympic gold medalist and multiple world championship medalist in 800m.
• Georgia Bell: Bronze medalist in the 1500m at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
• Lewis Davey: Bronze medalist in the 4x400m relay at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
• Sarah Healy: Irish international runner finished second in the 5th Avenue Mile.

Relationship

Trevor and Jenny are a husband-and-wife team who run the M11 Track Club together.

Their relationship began as a coach-athlete partnership before evolving into a romantic one.

Trevor was Jenny’s coach throughout her illustrious career, during which she earned multiple world and European 800m medals.

Marriage & children

The couple tied the knot in 2006, but details of their big day have not been reported

In July 2016, at the age of 35, Meadows announced her retirement from professional running.

On January 11, 2024, Jenny took to X/Twitter to announce the birth of their first child.

She wrote: “Welcome to the world Arabella Connie Meadows-Painter who was born at 00:12 on Sunday 10th Jan weighing 7lb 2oz.

“Myself & @Faster_feet promise to love and support you.”