Keely Hodgkinson has a habit of being late but on Monday the British runner was right on time as she was crowned 800-meter Olympic champion — a remarkable achievement given at one point as an early teen she could not walk.

The 22-year-old buried a reputation for being always the bridesmaid and never the bride as she stormed to victory, becoming the first British woman to win gold in the event since Kelly Holmes in Athens in 2004.

Her habit of being late is one of her rare failings, but Trevor Painter, who coaches her along with his wife, Jenny Meadows, says he is not going to tell her to change.