Georgia Hunter Bell has always loved running. 

She showed her talent early when she won the under-15 English School title over 800 meters with a time of 2:08. Her success continued during high-school and college, when she won the British Universities and College Sports (BUCS) title while she was studying at the University of Birmingham. After that, she signed with the University of California, Berkeley, hoping to become a professional runner after her time in college overseas.

But her career in the NCAA was far from what she expected. At 21, she left the United Kingdom full of excitement and ready to live her American dream. Instead, her time in California was marred by two different stress fractures in her shins.

Reflecting about her experience, Hunter Bell talked about how hard it was for her to come forward and face the gravity of her injury.  Because she was on scholarship, she felt the pressure of coming back as soon as possible to race in a way that would reflect the expectations of everyone. For Hunter Bell and many athletes on scholarship, that pressure was intense. 

Like many international athletes, Hunter Bell also had to face the reality of having no family around her. When she was injured, her isolation only grew. She felt separated from her team because she couldn’t join workouts with her teammates. In 2017, when she crossed the finish line of her last NCAA race in Texas, she said that “all she felt was relief that it was over.” 

At that point, Hunter Bell believed her track career was officially over. 

She kept biking and she competed in duathlons, but she didn’t think she’d ever step back on the track to race. 

After stopping for almost seven years, she found herself on the oval again in 2024. 

Hunter Bell eased back into it. 

She started by heading down to the track after work because she loved it. Over time, she decided to contact her old coach and started entering races again, almost seven years after she left the track scene. 

Hunter Bell started 2024 with a corporate job. She was emailing race directors for a spot on the line in the most competitive races. 

By the end of the year, she was on the podium at the Paris Olympics after earning bronze in the 1500m, had set a personal best and national record of 3:52.61, had earned silver at the European Championships in the 1500, and had won national titles in the 1500m for both indoor and outdoor track. 

“It’s easy to have big dreams when you’re a kid, but it is way harder when you become an adult.”

Georgia Hunter Bell

Hunter Bell’s success shows all of us that determination and passion for our sport can make a comeback possible. 

In an interview after the Olympics, Hunter Bell admitted that “it’s easy to have big dreams when you’re a kid, but it is way harder when you become an adult.” She touched on how most people tend to give up their passions to handle their responsibilities and bills. And she admitted that she used to be one of them. 

Hunter Bell keeps a fun and positive vibe on social media, recently posting a video where she asked ChatGPT to help her decide between the 800m and the 1500m for the World Championships. She was ranked 4th and 6th in the world in the events, respectively. 

After committing to the 800 meters, she proved her consistency in both the heat and the semi-final. But it was in the final where she truly showcased her talent, delivering a stunning performance to win the Silver medal in a personal best of 1:54.90. With an amazing finishing kick, she crossed the line in a photo finish alongside her teammate, Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson.

Earlier this year, Georgia Hunter Bell admitted she no longer feels like an underdog. Now she’s confronting the mental and physical challenges of being seen as one of the favorites. 

Embracing those expectations, she once again delivered on the biggest stage—just as she did at the Olympics. 

As her Instagram bio quotes, Hunter Bell’s career is “a comeback story,” that proves that no matter how done you think you are with your passion for your sport, you can always go back to it and achieve extraordinary things if you are fully committed to it.