Hull stars in race bound for the history book

Australia’s track stars made their presence known at the 50th edition of the Prefontaine Classic, as Olympic silver medallist Jessica Hull a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete, led the charge with a podium finish in the fastest 1500m ever run, while four fellow Australians stepped up against world-class fields in Eugene’s iconic Diamond League meet.

In a race destined for the history books, Hull rose to the moment, clocking 3:52.67 to finish third in the Women’s 1500m for the third fastest time of her career.

Competing in what became the fastest women’s 1500m race in history with the deepest field assembled this year, Hull held her composure as Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon stormed to a new world record of 3:48.68. Hull refused to be rattled by the searing pace, staying attached to the lead group deep into the bell, before yielding only to Kipyegon and Ethiopia’s Diribie Welteji in the final 200m.

The result not only marked Hull’s quickest performance of the season, but it reinforced her place on the podium of global middle-distance running.

“I was actually quite surprised how easily I got my position. To get the position right off the line was super nice, and then I just tried to stay relaxed. Then I felt Faith, she put her foot down and made it really hard for that last 500m,” Hull said.

“This was the fastest 1500m I’ve been in all year, so it was definitely tough in that last 400m, but I’m okay with that being tough at this point of the season. It was really important to get a really fast one under my belt and build from here. I

“t’s pretty impressive what Faith can do, she’s set the benchmark now of where we need to be come Tokyo, so yeah, I’ll go back to work and try and get there.”

Nineteen-year-old sensation Cameron Myers (ACT) continued to defy expectations at the Bowerman Mile, clocking 3:47.50 to finish sixth in a stacked field, and falling just 0.02-seconds shy of breaking his own World Under 20 and Australian record.

Mixing it with global medallists and Diamond League champions, the Canberran ran with poise beyond his years, as USA’s Yared Nuguse took charge of the race before being pipped at the finish line by The Netherland’s Niels Laros who stole victory from the Olympic bronze medallist with a national record of 3:45.94.

For the equal Australian record holder Oliver Hoare (NSWIS), it was a tougher outing in Eugene, with the Commonwealth champion finishing 15th in 3:51.60. Also racing the mile, albeit in a different race and a different field in the pre-event program, Adam Spencer (VIC) placed fourth in a field of 16, running a lifetime best of 3:50.19, missing the Tokyo qualifying standard by 0.19-seconds.

Returning to the track from injury, Australia’s fastest man Lachlan Kennedy (QLD) seized his moment in the Men’s 100m, racing to 10.07 (+0.4) to finish seventh in one of the fastest fields assembled this season.

Lining up against the world’s premier sprinters including first and second-place getters Kishane Thompson (JAM, 9.85) and Zharnel Hughes (GBR, 9.91), the Australian held his own, crossing the line just behind world champion Christian Coleman (USA, 10.06).

The performance adds to a breakthrough year for Kennedy, who continues to rise among sprinting’s elite ahead of the Tokyo World Championships.

The Diamond League Series continues next week in Monaco, France on July 11, with an all-star Australian cast set to line up for the prestigious meet.

Hull will return for the 1000m alongside Sarah Billings, while teenager Gout Gout will make his Diamond League debut in the Under 23 200m, and Peter Bol and Kurtis Marschall will wave the Australian flag in the 800m and Pole Vault respectively.