Australia’s latest middle distance star, Jessica Hull, has claimed her second Australian record of 2020, breaking Linden Hall’s Australian 1500m record at the Berlin ISTAF, clocking 4:00.42 (Linden Hall’s previous mark being 4:00.86).

It started on August 14, 2020 where Hull, the former Oregon Duck, broke Benita Willis’s 18-year-old Australian 5000m record clocking 14:43.80, at the Monaco Diamond League. No one was shocked by the run, but still, Benita’s record was far from weak, standing for 18 years and surviving assaults by the likes of Eloise Wellings, Sarah Jamieson, Madeline Hills and Genevieve Gregson.

But Hull wasn’t done. In what is perhaps her pet event, the 1500m, most were assuming it was just a matter of time before Linden Hall’s mark, set in 2018, would also fall. In Berlin, conditions were ideal for Hull.  A pacemaker was arranged for Scottish star Laura Muir, the rabbit went out on sub-4 1500m pace. Hull sat in behind second place finisher Laura Weightman for the majority of the race. The Steve Cram coached English athlete was just a little too strong for Hull, but it gave her the perfect rabbit, as they raced just milliseconds apart over the final 200m.

Hull’s next goal; a sub-4minute 1500m. Speaking post meet Hull had the following to say

“If I look back 12 months ago I never thought I would break an area record in the 5000 before the 1500 so to have the 1500 one now is pretty special, I think that is the one I was gunning for,” Hull said.

“I tried not to clock-watch but I was very alert in the last 500m so I thought I was going to skip under the record but then it is like you are holding that hope you would run 3.59.99.”

Speaking about running sub-4 Hull said: “fire in our belly to go under four. I know next year it will be fire in the belly to try for it next year.”

Hull has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after taking out the Australian 5000m title in February, just before Covid-19 upended the 2020 Athletics season.

While Hull may view herself as a 1500m runner at heart, she will be required to choose between the two distances for the Tokyo 2021 Games.

 

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WOW ? Australian National 1500m record ??4:00.42 at @istaf_berlin ? I took a chance, went all in and @pete.j.julian was confident if I raced aggressively, I could catch something special. Today that was lucky to be a PB and the Aussie record! As you can see @lauraweightman1 and I gracefully gave every inch we could in hopes of cracking the 4:00 barrier, but it’s fire in the belly for another day! ?? Here’s a couple of fun stats for you: 1. @ryangregson25 and I both got started with Albion Park Little Athletics Club back in the day and now hold the men’s and women’s ?? outdoor national 1500m records. Pretty cool feat for a small south coast of NSW grassroots club! 2. At 23, I’m the first Aussie woman to hold both the 1500m and 5,000m national records in 23 years. Thank you @david_tarbotton for the Tarby Stat here! A huge congrats to our speedy team mama @shannonrowbury on a season’s best today and @lmuiruns for another classy run and win to add to her incredible 2020 campaign!?????? ?: @jrhodesathletics #istaf2020 #itsfinetoredline #allin #momentstomomentum #makeithurt #makeitcount #livingthedream

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Women’s 1500m

Final

Place Name Birth Date Nat. Mark
1. Laura MUIR 09 MAY 1993 GBR 3:57.40
2. Laura WEIGHTMAN 01 JUL 1991 GBR 4:00.09
3. Jessica HULL 22 OCT 1996 AUS 4:00.42
4. Melissa COURTNEY-BRYANT 30 AUG 1993 GBR 4:02.34
5. Shannon ROWBURY 19 SEP 1984 USA 4:02.56
6. Claudia Mihaela BOBOCEA 11 JUN 1992 ROU 4:05.71
7. Hanna KLEIN 06 APR 1993 GER 4:05.74
8. Sofia ENNAOUI 30 AUG 1995 POL 4:06.05
9. Elise VANDERELST 27 JAN 1998 BEL 4:06.24
10. Christina HERING 09 OCT 1994 GER 4:08.30
11. Simona VRZALOVÁ 07 APR 1988 CZE 4:08.39
12. Maureen KOSTER 03 JUL 1992 NED 4:09.82
13. Ciara MAGEEAN 12 MAR 1992 IRL 4:12.82
Hanna HERMANSSON 18 MAY 1989 SWE DNF
Caterina GRANZ 14 MAR 1994 GER DNF
Aneta LEMIESZ 17 JAN 1981 POL DNF

 

In other events. Genevieve Gregson finished 8th in the women’s steeplechase, her single steeple of the 2020 season. Her time of 9:44.01 is a way off her Australian record of 9:14.28 set in 2016, in Paris.

Women’s 3000mSC

Final

Place Name Birth Date Nat. Mark
1. Hyvin KIYENG 13 JAN 1992 KEN 9:06.14
2. Beatrice CHEPKOECH 06 JUL 1991 KEN 9:10.07
3. Maruša MIŠMAŠ 24 OCT 1994 SLO 9:20.68
4. Aimee PRATT 03 OCT 1997 GBR 9:32.50
5. Rosie CLARKE 17 NOV 1991 GBR 9:32.95
6. Irene VAN DER REIJKEN 13 AUG 1993 NED 9:34.80
7. Elena BURKARD 10 FEB 1992 GER 9:35.67
8. Genevieve GREGSON 04 AUG 1989 AUS 9:44.01
9. Mercy CHEPKURUI 16 SEP 2000 KEN 9:45.70
10. Nataliya STREBKOVA 06 MAR 1995 UKR 9:52.72
11. Michelle FINN 16 DEC 1989 IRL 9:53.50
12. Lili Anna TÓTH 17 SEP 1998 HUN 9:53.68
13. Elizabeth BIRD 04 OCT 1994 GBR 9:55.21
14. Lea MEYER 16 SEP 1997 GER 9:55.46
15. Martina MERLO 19 FEB 1993 ITA 9:57.24
Fancy CHERONO 02 AUG 2001 KEN DNF
Josina PAPENFUß 24 SEP 2000 GER DNF

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