Jessica Hull has become the first Australian woman to win an Olympic medal in the 1500m discipline, placing second in Sunday morning’s final at Stade de France.
The 27-year-old, who came 11th in Tokyo three years ago, earned a historic silver medal after finishing in 3:52.56, the second-fastest time by an Australian woman in history.
After a promising start, Hull kept within touching distance of reigning champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, sitting third with one lap remaining.
However, the Wollongong product bolted past Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji on the final straight, crossing marginally ahead of Britain’s Georgia Bell to secure silver.
“That was amazing,” Hull told Channel 9.
“I don’t even know what to say, I’m just so proud.
“I have felt so much support over the last month … I appreciate everyone’s well-wishes and support, getting up at 4.15am on your Sunday. I hope it was worth it.
“My mum this morning, she sent me a photo of me at Little Athletics. I was probably 12. She just said, ‘Do it for this little girl tonight.’
“It brought me to tears a little bit.
“I hope that I’m the first of many middle-distance stars to come.”
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Earlier this year, Hull set a world record in the women’s 2000m with a time of 5:19.70 at the Herculis Meeting in Monaco.
The only other Australians to have won an Olympic medal in the 1500m discipline were Edwin Flack (1896), John Landy (1956) and Herb Elliott (1960). The distance was only added to the women’s Olympic program in 1972.
“The floodgates will probably open, there’s a lot of talent coming through,” Hull continued.
“It’s really cool to think that Aussies are on their way.”
Last year, Hull overhauled her training program and shifted focus towards improving her final lap, a decision that paid dividends in the French capital this week.
“In March I made a few changes after World Indoors when I came fourth and I was just like, ‘I don’t want to come fourth again’ and that meant like doing some really, really hard stuff and training that helps with my close, because my close was my weakness,” Hull explained.
“I just kept missing putting the final pieces of a race together.
“When I made those changes, I was like thinking I could scrape a bronze, and then you run 3.50 and you have the world record holder looking over her shoulder.”
The first four runners in the women’s 1500m final broke the previous Olympic record of 3:53.11, with Kipyegon setting a new best time of 3:51.29.
It was Kipyegon’s third consecutive gold in the 1500m event, equalling a feat only Jamaican icon Usain Bolt had achieved on the track.
Australia now has seven track and field medals in Paris, making it the nation’s best athletics medal haul since the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Elsewhere, Australians Kathryn Mitchell and Mackenzie failed to register a podium finish in the women’s javelin throw, notching best distances of 62.63m and 60.32m respectively.
Source Agencies
