LONDON — On a day when the world’s fastest descended on the London Stadium, Jess Hull stood tall among giants.
The Australian middle-distance star broke her own national and Oceanian mile record, clocking a superb 4:13.68 to claim second place at the London Diamond League on Saturday. It was a performance of poise and grit in a stacked field, only outpaced by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, who surged late to win in a blistering 4:11.88.
“I would have liked to be closer to 4:10, but I felt strong,” said Hull. “It was special to be part of a race where so many records fell.”
She wasn’t alone. Newcastle’s Rose Davies dropped more than nine seconds off her national and Oceanian 5000m mark, finishing third in 14:31.45 behind Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa and Fantaye Belayneh. Hot on her heels, Georgia Griffith clocked a huge personal best of 14:32.82 — both Aussies smashing the former national standard of 14:40.83.
In the field, Eleanor Patterson secured silver in the high jump with a modest-by-her-standards 1.93m. “If 1.93 is a bad day and still gets me second, I can’t be too mad about it,” said the ever-consistent former world champion.
Teenage sensation Cam Myers, a rising star in the 1500m, saw his race unravel late. Poised in fourth with a lap to go, Myers clipped heels with Briton George Mills and finished a dejected 13th. Kenya’s Phanuel Koech capitalized, storming home in a UK all-time best of 3:28.82.
Internationally, St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred stole the sprinting spotlight, posting a world-leading 21.71 in the 200m. Australian Torrie Lewis couldn’t match the pace, finishing last in 23.05.
As the countdown to the World Championships ticks on, Australia’s stars are finding form — and rewriting records — with impeccable timing.
