Triumphant Hull brought to tears by kids in 5000m triumph

Jessica Hull’s return to the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre after her heart breaking fall in the 800m on Friday night ended triumphantly, and with another gold medal draped over her neck after her dominant performance in the 5000m.

Hull, who was denied the historic treble at the Australian Championships – the women’s 800m, 1500m, and 5000m – when she crashed heavily to the stadium’s newly laid  track, admitted she was teary in the early stages of the gruelling 12.5 lap race when she heard a crowd of children yelling their support for her.

“Two hundred in when they were cheering for me in their little fan bay, I had the ‘shields’ on because my eyes were watering,” said Hull. “I was just like: ‘shake it off’ there’s 11 laps to go!’

“It was pretty special, and I thank everyone who came out today.”

And the crowd took great delight in the victory as Hull, a 29-year-old New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder coached by her father Simon, added yet another medal to her collection which, a quick inventory shows it amounts to:

• 10 Australia Championships gold medals
• Paris 2024 Olympic Games silver medal (1500m)
• 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Mixed Relay gold medal
• 2026 World Indoor Championships silver medal (1500m)
• 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships bronze medal (3000m)
• 2025 World Athletics Championships bronze medal (1500m)
• 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships bronze medal (300m)
• 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Mixed Relay bronze medallist
• The 2000m world record (set at the Monaco Diamond League on July 12, 2024)
• Multiple Australian and Oceania records for 1500m, 1500m (indoors), one mile, one mile indoors, 2000m, 3000m indoors and 5000m
• Four National Collegiate Athletic Association (US) records for University of Oregon (2015-19 for the 1500/3000m)
• Seven-time All American

and

• The U-12 NSW Little A’s title as member of Park Albion Little Athletics Club . . .

However, after the turmoil of Friday night, Hull said this one – this 5000m title – held  a special significance.

“It means a lot,” she enthused. “It was pretty challenging to get back out there but it’s pretty fun just to walk out on the track and be welcomed to the stadium by all the kids.

“It just reminds you of why you do it, and I was one of the kids who looked up to the athletes when I was their age and to now to be, sort of a role model, but for them to be a role model to me because they were there cheering for me . . . it doesn’t matter what happened earlier in the program.

Hull added she hoped her army of supporters would take positive messages from her effort to fight back from disappointment.

“There’s always another race,” she said. “Similar with everything in life,  there’s always another opportunity; you just have to  shake it off. It took me 24 hours; I got over it and . . . life goes on. Don’t dwell on it.”

Hull confirmed the impact on her body from tumbling to the track at full pace forced her to withdraw from Saturday night’s 800m event.

“I was pretty sore,” she said. “I wasn’t very mobile yesterday, but I was determined to get on the start line today and I think once you have that motivation in the mind, the body will follow.”

While the aftermath of the race was dominated by headlines of protests, disqualifications and reinstatements, Hull made it clear the matter between her and Victoria’s Claudia Hollingsworth was finished on the track after Hollingsworth offered an apology and they hugged.

“It’s racing, it happens,” Hull philosophised.

“It’s not ideal for anybody in that situation, I don’t think anyone would feel great about the way the 1500m was ran but it happens and you leave it on the track. It is what it is, you cross the finish line and both Claudia and I put it to bed 10 seconds post-line.

“There was a  bit of a storm afterwards but between the girls we put it to bed. She straight away apologised, it wasn’t her fault . . . it’s racing and in the heat of the moment things happen and I could never blame her.”

Indeed, Hollingsworth received tremendous praise from Hull for the way in which she recovered from the fall out from Friday night to go on and win the 800m.

“It was important for all of us to put it behind us and move on with the next event,” she said. “Abbey [Caldwell] was great too, she was involved in some impediment down the home straight and she was just like ‘you know what,  get out there and do the 800m.’

“For all of us to kind of move on, it’s important . . .  it’s a small sport and we need each other to get better and when we go overseas internationally its an ally to have another Australian, so you just want to get over it. National Champs  there’s a lot involved, there’s a of emotion, but it just happens.”

 Daniel Lane, NSWIS

Photos: Rachel Tingey, NSWIS