These past few years Claudia Hollingsworth has been the next big thing in Australian women’s middle-distance running. Considering her most recent exploits – destroying a strong field to win the national 3000 metres title in Hobart on 28 February, running the fastest 1500 by an Australian woman in Australia five days later at Box Hill – is it time to dispense with the qualification and simply proclaim her the big thing?
‘Too early to say’ in this observer’s judgement, but the fact it is even possible to pose the question speaks volumes. First of all, we are currently enjoying the strongest era in the history of Australian women’s middle-distance running with cut-throat competition for championship places at 800 and 1500. Second of all, the two foundational stars of this era – Linden Hall and Jess Hull – have yet to play a significant part in the domestic season. Hall has raced once at 5000 metres, Hull not at all.
Yet the manner in which Hollingsworth demolished her opponents in windy conditions at Hobart’s Domain track to win the national title commanded our attention. Still in contention at the bell were Abbey Caldwell, Georgia Griffith, Rose Davies, Maudie Skyring and Japan’s world 5000 championship finalist Naomi Tanaka. Within 50 metres of Hollingworth’s making her move with 300 to go, they were all running for second.
Running around 60 seconds for her final lap, Hollingsworth raced to victory in 8:37.42. Strung out behind her came Caldwell (8:39.06), Griffith (8:40.71), Davies (8:41.61), Skyring (8:45.00) and Tanaka (8:49.77) – a well-credentialled bunch reduced to scrapping for the minor placings.
Hobart’s Domain track sits on a hill, exposing it to the winds off the nearby Derwent River. When these blow across the bend, it can be heaven for 200 sprinters, even if the official wind reading in the straight suggests a headwind. But it can produce blustery conditions for the circular events.
Hollingsworth cruised comfortably in the middle of the leading pack for most of the race, unnoticed for 2700 metres, unstoppable in the last 300. If the statistics on the World Athletics website are correct, this was just the second time over the distance in her career. Previously, she had won the Ondieki U20 3000 at the 2023 Zatopek meeting, again with an unanswerable final lap. Then she ran 9:29.13.
The 1500 metres at Box Hill was a different matter altogether. Where Hollingsworth could sit unnoticed in the 3000 with no expectations on her beyond her own, now she was the pea in the pod (second place in the race would finish some 24 seconds and 150 metres behind). She had assistance for almost 800 metres from teammate Bendere Oboya and for the last 700 from the pacing lights (set at 4:01).
One of Hollingsworth’s assets, however, is her apparent comfort even at fast pace. Looking strong and relaxed the whole way she went through the bell at 2:56-57. Her final 400 was much the same pace as in Hobart, taking her to the finish in 3:58.09. That broke Linden Hall’s track record 3:59.67 set almost five years earlier in becoming the first Australian woman to break four minutes back in 2021.
Hall’s performance became the national record; Hollingsworth’s replaces it as the fastest run by an Australian on home soil.
Post-race in Hobart, Claudia Hollingsworth had commented that her performance had reinforced her own belief in her potential at 1500 metres. Clearly, we can all share that confidence now. Albeit there was no competitive pressure on her at Box Hill, she looked as if there was more in the tank. With her first sub-four she has gone to third on the all-time list, ahead of Griffith, Sarah Billings and Caldwell among the six to have bettered four minutes.
First, Hollingsworth must join the other five in achieving more than one time under four minutes. Hull has 19, Hall 15, Griffith five, Billings and Caldwell two apiece. Then, it’s a matter of what further inroads she can make. Hull holds the national record at 3:50.83; Hall’s best is 3:56.33.
Going back to where we started, Hollingsworth has been the next big thing for some time. It’s easy to skate over her silver medal in the 800 at the world U20 championships two years ago, as she has been achieving at senior level while still in her junior years. She won the national title at 800 in 2024 having already finished second to Catriona Bisset in 2021 and 2022 and to Caldwell last year. She won the mile last year and now has a 3000 national title to her name.
Versatility could prove to be an asset this year. There are no qualifying standards set for the Commonwealth Games, but Australia has set its own standards which offer guaranteed nomination to national champions provided they have achieved them. As in Olympic Games and world championships, there is a maximum of three per country per individual event, but there is also a cap on total team size which is likely to be more of an issue.
Next big thing, big thing now or whatever, Claudia Hollingsworth is going to be a significant player in how it all works out.