View source for Kelly Holmes

{{short description|British middle-distance runner (born 1970)}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| honorific_prefix   = 
| name = Dame Kelly Holmes
| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DBE}}
| image = Kelly Holmes at Athens 2004 cropped.jpg
| imagesize = 
| caption = Holmes at the [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Summer Olympics]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|04|19|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Pembury]], Kent, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 1.64 m<ref>[http://www.ukathletics.net/supporters/hall-of-fame-athletes/kelly-holmes/ uk:athletics profile.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121161402/http://www.ukathletics.net/supporters/hall-of-fame-athletes/kelly-holmes/ |date=21 November 2008 }} Retrieved 17 August 2008</ref>
| weight =
| website = {{Official URL}}
| country = [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]]<br>[[England]]
| sport = [[Running]]
| event = [[800 metres]], [[1500 metres|1500&nbsp;m]]
| pb = {{ubl
|'''800&nbsp;m''': 1:56.21 ([[Monaco]] 1995)
|'''1500&nbsp;m''': 3:57.90 ([[Athens]] 2004)
|''Indoors''
|'''800&nbsp;m''': 1:59.21{{AthAbbr|i}} ([[Ghent]] 2003)
}}
| club = [[Middlesex Ladies]]/[[Ealing Southall & Middlesex Athletics Club|ESM]]
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Sport|Women's [[Sport of athletics|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{GBR2}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]]|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metres|800&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|2004 Athens|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 1500 metres|1500 m]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]]|[[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metres|800&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 Gothenburg]]|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 1500 metres|1500&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver |[[2003 World Championships in Athletics|2003 Paris]]|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 800 metres|800&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|1995 Gothenburg|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 800 metres|800&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[World Indoor Championships in Athletics|World Indoor Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2003 World Indoor Championships in Athletics|2003 Birmingham]]|[[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 1500 metres|1500&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Comp|[[European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1994 European Championships in Athletics|1994 Helsinki]]|[[1994 European Athletics Championships – Women's 1500 metres|1500&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[2002 European Championships in Athletics|2002 Munich]]|[[2002 European Athletics Championships – Women's 800 metres|800&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{ENG}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Athletics at the Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1994 Commonwealth Games|1994 Victoria]]|[[Athletics at the 1994 Commonwealth Games|1500&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Manchester]]|[[Athletics at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Women's 1500 metres|1500&nbsp;m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1998 Commonwealth Games|1998&nbsp;Kuala&nbsp;Lumpur]]|[[Athletics at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|1500&nbsp;m]]}}
| module = 
  {{Infobox military person
   |embed        = yes
   |allegiance   = United Kingdom
   |branch       = [[British Army]]<br/>[[Women's Royal Army Corps]] (1988–1992)<br/>[[Adjutant General's Corps]] (1992–1997)
   |serviceyears = 1988–1997
   |rank         = [[Sergeant]]
  }}
}}

'''Dame Kelly Holmes''' (born 19 April 1970) is a retired British [[Middle-distance running|middle distance]] [[Track and field|athlete]] and television personality.

Holmes specialised in the [[800 metres|800]] and [[1500 metres]] events and won [[gold medal]]s for both distances at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in [[Athens]]. She set [[British records in athletics|British records]] in numerous events and still holds the records over the [[600 metres|600]], and [[1000 metres|1000]] metre distances. She held the British 800 metre record until 2021.

Inspired by a number of successful British middle-distance runners in the early 1980s, Holmes began competing in middle-distance events in her youth. She joined the [[British Army]], but continued to compete at the organisation's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] events. She turned to the professional athletics circuit in 1993 and in 1994 she won the 1500&nbsp;m at the [[Commonwealth Games]] and took [[Silver medal|silver]] at the [[European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]]. She won a silver and a [[bronze medal]] at the [[1995 Gothenburg World Championships]], but suffered from various injuries over the following years, failing to gain a medal at her first Olympics in [[1996 Summer Olympics|Atlanta 1996]] when running with a stress fracture. She won silver in the 1500&nbsp;m at the [[1998 Commonwealth Games]] and bronze in the 800&nbsp;m at the [[2000 Sydney Olympics]], her first Olympic medal.

Holmes won the 1500&nbsp;m at the [[2002 Commonwealth Games]] and the 800&nbsp;m bronze at the [[2002 European Championships in Athletics|Munich European Championships]] that year. The 2003 track season saw her take silver in the 1500&nbsp;m at the [[2003 World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]] and the 800&nbsp;m silver medals at the [[2003 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] and [[2003 World Athletics Final|first World Athletics Final]].

She took part in her final major championship in 2004, with a double gold medal-winning performance at the [[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens Olympics]], finishing as the 800&nbsp;m and 1500&nbsp;m [[Olympic Champion]]. For her achievements she won numerous awards and was appointed [[Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (DBE) in 2005. She retired from athletics in 2005 and was between 2018 and 2024 an [[Colonel (United Kingdom)#Honorary Colonel|honorary colonel]] with the [[Royal Armoured Corps]] Training Regiment (RACTR). She has become a global motivational speaker, published five books, her latest being ''Running Life'', and made a number of television appearances.

==Early life and army career==
Holmes was born in [[Pembury]], near [[Tunbridge Wells]] in Kent, the daughter of Derrick Holmes, a [[Jamaica]]n-born car mechanic, and an English mother, Pam Norman. Her mother was 17 at the time of her birth, and seven years later married painter and decorator Michael Norris, whom Holmes regards as her father. Holmes grew up in [[Hildenborough]], Kent, where she attended Hildenborough CEP School, and then [[Hugh Christie Technology College|Hugh Christie Comprehensive School]] in [[Tonbridge]] from the age of 12.

She started training for athletics at the age of 12, joining Tonbridge Athletics Club, where she was coached by David Arnold and went on to win the English Schools 1500 metres in her second season in 1983. Her hero was British middle-distance runner [[Steve Ovett]], and she was inspired by his success at the [[1980 Summer Olympics]].

However, Holmes later turned away from athletics, joining the [[British Army]] at the age of 18, having left school two years earlier to work first as an assistant in a sweet shop and later as a nursing assistant for disabled patients. In the army, she became a [[Large goods vehicle|HGV]] driver in the [[Women's Royal Army Corps]] (WRAC), later becoming a basic [[physical training instructor]] (PTI).<ref name=Personally>{{cite web|url=https://www.personallyspeakingbureau.com/speaker/col-dame-kelly-holmes/|title=Col Dame Kelly Holmes – Personally Speaking Bureau|access-date=11 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211141057/https://www.personallyspeakingbureau.com/speaker/col-dame-kelly-holmes/|archive-date=11 December 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Holmes then elected in June 1990 to attend the first course to be run under the army's new physical training syllabus, and passed out as a Class 2 PTI. Although militarily quite young, Holmes's athletic prowess was impressive and she was encouraged to attend the course selection for full-time transfer to the [[Royal Army Physical Training Corps]] (RAPTC) at [[Aldershot Garrison|Aldershot]].

Holmes eventually qualified as a class 1 PTI,<ref>{{cite web|title=Royal Army Physical Training Corps|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/raptc/30470.aspx|website=army.mod.uk|access-date=23 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021121322/http://www.army.mod.uk/raptc/30470.aspx|archive-date=21 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> although she remained in the [[Adjutant General's Corps]] after the disbandment of the WRAC in 1992. She also became British Army [[judo]] champion and at an athletics event, she competed in and won an 800 metres, a 3000 metres and a relay race in a single day. She also won the heptathlon.

Holmes watched the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] on television, and on seeing [[Lisa York (athlete)|Lisa York]] in the heats of the 3000 metres – an athlete whom she had competed against, and beaten – she decided to return to athletics. For several years she combined athletics with employment in the army,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.spikesmag.com/features/kellyholmesonthestoryofthepicture.aspx|title=Kelly Holmes on the story of the picture|year=2008|website=Spikes Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520203650/http://www.spikesmag.com/features/kellyholmesonthestoryofthepicture.aspx|archive-date=20 May 2009}}</ref> until increased funding allowed her to become a full-time athlete in 1997.

==Athletics career==
=== Early and pre-Athens career ===
Highlights of her early and pre-Athens career included gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and silvers at the World and European Championships. In 2000 she also took a bronze at the Sydney Olympics.

===2004 Athens Olympic Games===
[[File:Kelly Holmes parade cropped.jpg|left|thumb|Holmes on parade]]

In 2017, Holmes revealed that after training in 2003 for the 2004 Summer Olympics at a French training camp where she suffered leg injuries and became depressed, she began [[self-harm|cutting herself]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/sep/24/kelly-holmes-tells-how-she-self-harmed-at-height-of-athletics-career|title=Kelly Holmes reveals she self-harmed at height of athletics career|last=Laville|first=Sandra|date=24 September 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=17 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017193608/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/sep/24/kelly-holmes-tells-how-she-self-harmed-at-height-of-athletics-career|archive-date=17 October 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> "I made one cut for every day that I had been injured", Holmes stated in an interview with the ''News of the World'' newspaper. At least once, she considered suicide, but she eventually sought help from a doctor and was diagnosed with [[clinical depression]]. While she could not use [[anti-depressant]]s because it would affect her performance, she began using herbal [[serotonin]] tablets. In 2005, after her achievements at the 2004 Summer Olympics, Holmes chose to talk about her [[self-harm]] to show others that being a professional athlete is an extremely difficult thing to do and places the athlete under tremendous amounts of stress. Holmes's honesty quickly won her praise from people on Twitter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-41372189|title=Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes 'cut herself daily'|date=24 September 2017|website=BBC News|access-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924020008/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-41372189|archive-date=24 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

2004 saw Holmes arrive at a major competition, the [[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens Olympics]], with no injury worries for just about the first time in her career. She had originally planned to compete in just the 1500&nbsp;m but a victory over [[Jolanda Čeplak]] before the games had many saying she should take her chance in the 800&nbsp;m as well.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} Holmes did not announce her decision to race in both events until five days before the 800&nbsp;m finals. Along with three time [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Champion]] [[Maria de Lurdes Mutola]] and Čeplak, Holmes was considered one of the favourites for the gold medal in the 800&nbsp;m. In the final, Holmes ran a well-paced race, ignoring a fast start by a number of the other competitors, and moved into the lead ahead of Mutola on the final bend, taking the gold on the line ahead of [[Hasna Benhassi]] and Čeplak, with Mutola in fourth. Holmes became the seventh British woman to win an athletics gold, and the second after [[Ann Packer]] in 1964 to win the 800&nbsp;metres.

In the final of the 1500&nbsp;m, again running from the rear of the field, she took the lead in the final straight, holding off World Champion [[Tatyana Tomashova]] of Russia.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} She thus became only the third woman in history to do the 800&nbsp;m and 1500&nbsp;m double (after [[Tatyana Kazankina]] of the [[Soviet Union]] in [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976]] and [[Svetlana Masterkova]] of Russia in [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996]]), and Britain's first double gold medallist at the same games since [[Albert Hill (athlete)|Albert Hill]] in [[1920 Summer Olympics|1920]].{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} Her time of 3 minutes 57.90 seconds in the 1500 m final set a new British record for the distance.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}

Subsequently, Holmes was given the honour of carrying the British flag at the closing ceremony of the games, on 29 August, the day after her second victory.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} A homecoming parade was held in her honour through the streets of Hildenborough and [[Tonbridge]] on 1 September, which was attended by approximately 40,000 people.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} Holmes won the [[BBC Sports Personality of the Year]] in 2004, saying she achieved her goals after "20 years of dreaming". She also asserted the award was "the biggest sporting honour your country can give you". The tributes to her at the BBC awards ceremony were led by the six British female athletes who had previously won gold at the Olympic Games in a "[[The Magnificent Seven|Magnificent Seven]]"-style feature&nbsp;– those six being [[Mary Rand]], [[Ann Packer]], [[Mary Peters (athlete)|Mary Peters]], [[Tessa Sanderson]], [[Sally Gunnell]] and [[Denise Lewis]].{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}

===Personal bests===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
!Event || Time || Venue || Date
|-
|[[600 metres]]
|1:25.41 (British record)
|[[Liège]], Belgium
|2 September 2003
|-
|[[800 metres]]
|1:56.21 (British record until 2021)
|[[Monte Carlo]], Monaco
|9 September 1995
|-
|800 metres indoor
|1:59.21
|[[Ghent]], Belgium
|9 February 2003
|-
|[[1000 metres]]
|2:32.55 (British record)
|[[Leeds]], United Kingdom
|15 June 1997
|-
|1000 metres indoor
|2:32.96
|[[Birmingham]], United Kingdom
|20 February 2004
|-
|[[1500 metres]]
|3:57.90
|[[Athens]], Greece
|28 August 2004
|-
|1500 metres indoor
|4:02.66
|[[Birmingham]], United Kingdom
|16 March 2003
|-
|[[One mile]]
|4:28.04
|[[Glasgow]], United Kingdom
|30 August 1998
|-
|[[3000 metres]]
|9:01.91
|[[Gateshead]], United Kingdom
|13 July 2003
|}
* <small>All information taken from IAAF profile and UK All time lists.</small><ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=C/country=GBR/athcode=67889/index.html Biographies: Holmes, Kelly] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021185153/http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=C/country=GBR/athcode=67889/index.html |date=21 October 2012 }}. Retrieved 10 April 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/uk/wb99.htm United Kingdom All-time Lists – Women (800–5000)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181222052709/http://www.gbrathletics.com/uk/wb99.htm |date=22 December 2018 }}. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 10 March 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/uk/wa99.htm United Kingdom All-time Lists – Women (60–600)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225014107/http://gbrathletics.com/uk/wa99.htm |date=25 February 2009 }}. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 10 March 2009.</ref>

===Competition record===
{|{{AchievementTable|Event=yes|Result=yes|NotesOff=yes}}
|+Representing {{GBR2}} and {{ENG}}
|-
|1993
|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Stuttgart]], Germany
|5th (sf)
|800 m
|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 1500 metres|1:58.64]]
|-
|rowspan=4|1994
|[[1994 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|[[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]], Canada
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|1500 m
|[[Athletics at the 1994 Commonwealth Games – Women's 1500 metres|4:08.86]]
|-
|[[1994 European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]]
|[[Helsinki]], Finland
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|1500 m
|[[1994 European Athletics Championships – Women's 1500 metres|4:19.30]]
|-
|[[1994 IAAF World Cup|IAAF World Cup]]
|[[London, England|London]], England
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
|1500 m
|[[1994 IAAF World Cup#Women 2|4:10.81]]
|-
|[[1994 European Cup (athletics)|European Cup]]
|[[Birmingham]], England
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|1500 m
|[[1994 European Cup (athletics)#Women's events|4:06.48]]
|-
|rowspan=3|1995
|rowspan=2| [[1995 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|rowspan=2|[[Gothenburg]], Sweden
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
|800 m
|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 800 metres|1:56.95]]
|-
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|1500 m
|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 1500 metres|4:03.04]]
|-
|[[1995 European Cup (athletics)|European Cup]]
|[[Villeneuve-d'Ascq]], France
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|1500 m
|[[1995 European Cup (athletics)#Women's events|4:07.02]]
|-
|rowspan=3|1996
|[[1996 European Cup (athletics)|European Cup]]
|[[Madrid]], Spain
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|800 m
|[[1996 European Cup (athletics)#Women's events|1:58.20]]
|-
|rowspan=2|[[1996 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]], United States
|4th
|800 m
|[[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metres|1:58.81]]
|-
|11th
|1500 m
|[[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 1500 metres|4:07.46]]
|-
|1997
|[[1997 European Cup (athletics)|European Cup]]
|[[Munich]], Germany
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|1500 m
|[[1997 European Cup (athletics)#Women's events|4:04.79]]
|-
|1998
|[[1998 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|[[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|1500 m
|[[Athletics at the 1998 Commonwealth Games – Women's 1500 metres|4:06.10]]
|-
|1999
|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Seville]], Spain
|4th (sf)
|800 m
|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 800 metres|2:00.77]]
|-
|rowspan=2|2000
|rowspan=2|[[2000 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]]
|rowspan=2|[[Sydney]], Australia
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
|800 m
|[[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metres|1:56.80]]
|-
|7th
|1500 m
|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 1500 metres|4:08.02]]
|-
|2001
|[[2001 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Edmonton]], Canada
|6th
|800 m
|[[2001 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 800 metres|1:59.76]]
|-
|rowspan=3|2002
|rowspan=2|[[2002 European Championships in Athletics#Track 2|European Championships]]
|rowspan=2|[[Munich]], Germany
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
|800 m
|[[2002 European Athletics Championships – Women's 800 metres|1:59.83]]
|-
|11th (h)
|1500 m
|[[2002 European Athletics Championships – Women's 1500 metres|4:08.11]]
|-
|[[2002 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|[[Manchester]], England
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|1500 m
|[[Athletics at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Women's 1500 metres|4:05.99]]
|-
|rowspan=3|2003
|rowspan=1|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|rowspan=1|[[Paris]], France
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|800 m
|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 800 metres|2:00.18]]
|-
|[[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Birmingham]], England
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|1500 m
|[[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 1500 metres|4:02.66]]
|-
|[[2003 IAAF World Athletics Final|IAAF World Athletics Final]]
|[[Monte Carlo]], [[Monaco]]
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|800 m
|[[2003 IAAF World Athletics Final#Women|1:59.92]]
|-
|rowspan=4|2004
|[[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Budapest]], Hungary
|9th
|1500 m
|[[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 1500 metres|4:12.30]]
|-
|rowspan=2|[[2004 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]]
|rowspan=2|[[Athens]], Greece
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|800 m
|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metres|1:56.38]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|1500 m
|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 1500 metres|3:57.90]]
|-
|[[2004 IAAF World Athletics Final|IAAF World Athletics Final]]
|[[Monte Carlo]], Monaco
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|1500 m
|[[2004 IAAF World Athletics Final#Women|4:04.55]]
|}
* <small>Note: In addition to these achievements, Holmes has also won 12 national titles.</small>

==Honours and awards==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon.png|80px]] || [[Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (DBE) || (Civil Division) 2005 "for services to athletics".<ref name=LG_01>{{London Gazette|issue=57509|date=31 December 2004|page=7|supp=y}}</ref> She was invested with the honour by [[Elizabeth II|HM The Queen]] at [[Buckingham Palace]] on 9 March 2005, accompanied by her parents and grandfather.
|-
|[[File:Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.png|80px]] || [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) || (Military Division) 1998 "for services to the British Army".
|}
In 2007, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from [[Loughborough University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=University Honours archive {{!}} Graduation {{!}} Loughborough University |url=https://www.lboro.ac.uk/students/graduation/honorary-graduates/archive/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=www.lboro.ac.uk}}</ref>

In 2010, Holmes was inducted into the [[England Athletics Hall of Fame]].

In 2018, she was made [[Colonel (United Kingdom)#Honorary Colonel|honorary colonel]] of the [[Royal Armoured Corps]] Training Regiment,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.athleticsweekly.com/news/dame-kelly-holmes-becomes-honorary-colonel-1039917656/|title=Dame Kelly Holmes becomes Honorary Colonel|date=24 September 2018|website=Athletics Weekly|publisher=Great Run Publishing|access-date=4 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004150614/https://www.athleticsweekly.com/news/dame-kelly-holmes-becomes-honorary-colonel-1039917656/|archive-date=4 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> serving as such until 1 November 2024.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 64603|date= 24 December 2024|page= 26097|supp= y}}</ref>

==Dame Kelly Holmes Trust==
{{main|Dame Kelly Holmes Trust}}

In 2008, Holmes founded the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, a [[Registered charity in England|registered charity]],<ref>{{EW charity|1128529|DKH Legacy Trust}}</ref> to support young athletes and help the lives of young people facing disadvantage across the UK.<ref>[http://www.dkhlegacytrust.org DKH Legact Trust] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128084620/http://www.dkhlegacytrust.org/ |date=28 November 2011 }} web site</ref> As part of her pledge to the charity, she participated in the Powerman UK [[duathlon]] in 2014, one of several fundraising events she took part in.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.220triathlon.com/news/dame-kelly-holmes-racing-powerman-uk-this-may/8420.html | title = Dame Kelly Holmes racing Powerman UK this May | date = 25 March 2014 | publisher = 220 Triathlon | access-date = 25 March 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140325193637/http://www.220triathlon.com/news/dame-kelly-holmes-racing-powerman-uk-this-may/8420.html | archive-date = 25 March 2014 | url-status = live }}</ref>

==Post-athletics career==
Since 2004, Holmes has taken part in "On Camp with Kelly" athletics camps which train junior athletes, sponsored by insurance company [[Aviva]] (formerly Norwich Union).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oncampwithkelly.co.uk/programme/about|title=About|website=On Camp with Kelly|access-date=18 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034343/http://www.oncampwithkelly.co.uk/programme/about|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2005, she won the [[Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year]].<ref>{{citation | title=Inside Tunisia's Shams Rad - the Arab world's 'only gay radio station' | work=BBC News | date=17 June 2018 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-44137901 | language=en-GB | access-date=26 July 2024 | page=}}</ref> The same year, she named the P&O Cruise ship [[MV Arcadia (2004)|MS ''Arcadia'']].<ref>[http://www.pocruises.com/pocruising/learnmore-arcadia-ship-statistics.aspx P&O Cruises Official Website | Learn More – Our Ships – About Arcadia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831021254/http://www.pocruises.com/pocruising/learnmore-arcadia-ship-statistics.aspx |date=31 August 2007 }}</ref> On 21 August, she competed in her final race in the UK, the 800&nbsp;m at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix meeting in [[Sheffield]]. Her training schedule during the summer of 2005 had been disrupted by a recurrent [[Achilles tendon]] injury, and she finished the race in eighth place, limping across the finish line and completing a lap of honour on a buggy.

On 6 December 2005, Holmes announced her retirement from athletics, saying she had reassessed her future after the death of a friend, as well as citing a lack of motivation to continue.<ref>{{cite web | title=On this day in 2005: Dame Kelly Holmes announces retirement | website=The Independent | date=6 December 2023 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/brian-athens-kent-elizabeth-ii-dame-b2459185.html | access-date=26 July 2024}}</ref>

In May 2009, Holmes was named as the president of [[Commonwealth Games England]], succeeding Sir [[Chris Chataway (athlete)|Chris Chataway]], who had held the post since 1994. The organisation's chairman [[Sir Andrew Foster]] said: "Dame Kelly has been an outstanding athlete both for Team England and Great Britain. She is a truly inspirational and respected figure in the sporting world and will be a wonderful ambassador for Commonwealth Games England."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/8057107.stm |title=BBC Sports |work=BBC News |date=19 May 2009 |access-date=21 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524040101/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/8057107.stm |archive-date=24 May 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 18 March 2019, Holmes, along with [[Paula Radcliffe]] and [[Sharron Davies]], announced they would be writing a letter to the [[International Olympic Committee]] targeting trans women who compete in women's sports categories.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/47608623|title= Dame Kelly Holmes, Paula Radcliffe and Sharron Davies to write to IOC over transgender athletes |date=18 March 2019|website=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=20 June 2022}}</ref>

On January 2023, Holmes spoke again on the subject of transgender individuals' inclusion in sports stating she had "been ignorant", and believes that transgender individuals should receive fair outcomes in all areas of life, including sports, for those whose gender identity differs from the one assigned at birth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/dame-kelly-holmes-says-shes-been-ignorant-about-trans-athletes-in-the-past-422905/|title=Dame Kelly Holmes says she's been 'ignorant' about trans athletes in the past|website=Attitude}}</ref>

Holmes is known for her advocacy on various health-related topics, particularly mental health and menopause.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 8, 2023 |title='It's not a nice way of living': Kelly Holmes on her struggle with menopause insomnia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/oct/08/its-not-a-nice-way-of-living-kelly-holmes-on-her-struggle-with-menopause-insomnia}}</ref>

===Television and radio===
In November 2010, Holmes took part in the ITV game show ''[[The Cube (British game show)|The Cube]]''. In October 2011, she appeared live on [[Dubai One]] lifestyle show ''[[Studio One (UAE talk show)|Studio One]]'' where she talked about her life and career after athletics.

In 2013 Holmes became the face of [[MoneyForce]], a programme run by the [[Royal British Legion]] to deliver money advice to the [[UK Armed Forces|UK armed forces]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moneyforce.org.uk |title=MoneyForce |publisher=RBL |date=12 March 2013 |access-date=20 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411101332/https://www.moneyforce.org.uk/ |archive-date=11 April 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In early 2015, she took part in the ITV series ''[[Bear Grylls: Mission Survive]]'' and was the runner-up after a 12-day survival mission.

In 2017, Holmes presented episode five of the [[BBC One]] television series ''Women at War: 100 Years of Service''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ffs72 |title=Women at War: 100 Years of Service |access-date=26 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116040734/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ffs72 |archive-date=16 November 2017 |url-status=live |website=BBC One}}</ref>

In December 2017, Holmes spoke about her 2003 mental health issues in an episode of ''[[All in the Mind (BBC radio)|All in the Mind]]'' on [[BBC Radio 4]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09jdc7s|title=BBC Radio 4 - All in the Mind, Children of parents with mental illness, Exercise perception, Dame Kelly Holmes, Addressing panic attacks|website=BBC}}</ref> and in 2018 was one of the judges of the programme's awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b7fj3j|title=BBC Radio 4 - All in the Mind, All in the Mind Awards ceremony from the Wellcome Collection in London|website=BBC}}</ref>

In January 2023, Holmes spoke again on the subject of transgender individuals' inclusion in sports stating "I have been ignorant in the past about the fight of the trans community and I now want to see fair and conclusive outcome for those whose gender differs from that assigned at birth, in all walks of life, including sport.".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/dame-kelly-holmes-says-shes-been-ignorant-about-trans-athletes-in-the-past-422905/|title=Dame Kelly Holmes says she's been 'ignorant' about trans athletes in the past|website=Attitude}}</ref>

Since September 2022, Holmes has been a regular panelist on the ITV [[Loose Women]] talk show.

===Cafe 1809 and The 1809 Hub===
In 2014 Holmes opened a cafe and community hub in [[Hildenborough]] named Cafe 1809 after her 2004 Olympics bib number. She opened a sister branch of the cafe in [[Gravesend]] in 2017, but this closed after a few months.

In October 2018 Holmes announced the cafe would close the following month, before re-opening as The 1809 Hub: "a space for events, pop-ups, and community gatherings".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-10-31|first=Guy |last=Bell|title=Dame Kelly Holmes announces Café 1809 will close
|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tonbridge/news/olympic-stars-caf-to-close-192489/|access-date=2020-09-18|website=Kent Online|archive-date=3 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103014023/https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tonbridge/news/olympic-stars-caf-to-close-192489/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In June 2022, Holmes [[coming out|came out]] as [[Lesbian|gay]] in an interview with the ''[[Sunday Mirror]]'', adding that she felt "finally free".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61854980|title= Dame Kelly Holmes shares relief at coming out as gay |date=18 June 2022|website=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=18 June 2022}}</ref> She said that she had known she was a lesbian since 1988, when she was in the army; she could not come out then as it was illegal at the time to be gay in the military. After winning two Olympic gold medals at Athens in 2004 and becoming a public figure, she feared there might still be consequences from the army if she came out after leaving, and that she might be shunned within athletics as there were no openly gay sportspeople she knew of. LGBT campaigners celebrated Holmes coming out, saying that it sheds light on the historic homophobia that can still serve as a barrier to older people coming out.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-06-19|title=Kelly Holmes comes out as gay: 'I needed to do this now, for me'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jun/19/kelly-holmes-comes-out-gay-lesbian-army|first=Robert|last= Booth|access-date=2022-06-19|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

Later that month, on 26 June, [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]] broadcast a 55-minute documentary ''Kelly Holmes: Being Me'' in which she describes her fears of her sexuality being exposed, and meets two people who were discharged from the military for being gay.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicholson |first=Rebecca |date=2022-06-26 |title=Kelly Holmes: Being Me review – a victory in so many ways |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jun/26/kelly-holmes-being-me-review-a-victory-in-so-many-ways |access-date=2022-07-03 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Holmes wrote: "The documentary taught me so much about generational and social advancements when it comes to the LGBTQ+ world."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hastings |first=Christobel |date=2022-06-27 |title=Kelly Holmes Being Me: viewers react to emotional new ITV doc |url=https://www.stylist.co.uk/entertainment/kelly-holmes-being-me-itv-documentary-coming-out-story-gay/673261 |access-date=2022-07-03 |website=Stylist |language=en}}</ref>

==Artistic recognition==
In 2012, Holmes was one of five Olympians chosen for a series of body-casting artworks by [[Louise Giblin]], exhibited in London with copies being sold in aid of the charity Headfirst.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.louisegiblin.co.uk/|title=Louise Giblin Sculptor|website=louisegiblin.co.uk|access-date=20 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625122524/http://www.louisegiblin.co.uk/|archive-date=25 June 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017 a statue of Holmes by sculptor [[Guy Portelli]] was erected in Tonbridge.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book|title=My Olympic Ten Days|first=Kelly|last=Holmes|author2=Richard Lewis|isbn=1-85227-222-8|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|year=2004|ref=none}}
* {{cite book|title=Kelly Holmes: Black, White & Gold: The Autobiography|first=Kelly|last=Holmes|isbn=1-85227-224-4 |publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|year=2005|ref=none}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kelly Holmes}}
* {{Official website|http://www.kellyholmes.co.uk}}
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{Olympics.com profile|kelly-holmes|org_archive=20210417222152}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121161402/http://www.ukathletics.net/supporters/hall-of-fame-athletes/kelly-holmes/ |title=Kelly Holmes at UK Athletics |date=dmy}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604031650/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/h/8627/Kelly+HOLMES.aspx |title=Kelly Holmes at Debrett's People of Today |date=dmy}}
* [https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,1291803,00.html Kelly Holmes] at [[The Guardian]]
* [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/athletics/3605014.stm "The real Holmes truth"] at [[BBC Sport]]

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{{succession box|title=[[European Athlete of the Year Award|Women's European Athlete of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|SWE}} [[Carolina Klüft]]|after={{flagicon|RUS}} [[Yelena Isinbayeva]]|years=2004}}
{{succession box|title=[[BBC Sports Personality of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jonny Wilkinson]] |after={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andrew Flintoff]]|years=2004}}
{{succession box|title=[[Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year|World Sportswoman of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|SWE}} [[Annika Sörenstam]]|after={{flagicon|CRO}} [[Janica Kostelić]]|years=2005}}
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