Hull’s heroic assault on world mark ends in . . . cheers

Paris Olympic silver medallist Jess Hull sent out a strong warning ahead of next month’s World Indoor Athletics Championships when she came within seconds of breaking the 2000m Short Track world record at a recent indoor meet in Lievin, France.

The New South Wales Institute of Sport scholarship athlete thrilled the vocal French crowd who urged her on to the finish line as she completed an Oceania Best time of 5:26.68.

While Hull missed out on Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba’s world record of 5:23.75, she defeated Portugal’s Salmone Afonso by almost four seconds. She now holds the fastest ever time by a woman for the 2000m outdoor event and the second fastest for the 2000m indoor event.

“I’m really excited by that,” said Hull, who won the 2024 Paris Olympic silver medal for the 1500m event, of her courageous assault on the world record.

“It was pretty exciting over the last couple of days  to know that I was going to attempt a [Genzebe] Dibaba world record. I’ve looked up to the Dibaba sisters since I was really young . . .

“To kind of feel like I’m ready enough to have a go at a mark like that is pretty exciting. I was a few seconds off today, but I’ve got time. I’m still young in my career, I’ve got a few more years to keep trying these things.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS