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Hull, who delivered silver in the 1500 meters at the Paris Olympic games, has had an unforgettabloe season that saw her give Faith Kipyegon a run for her money in the event.
Australian middle-distance sensation Jessica Hull has described her unforgettable 2023 season, highlighting her fierce challenge against Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon during a record-breaking night at the Paris Diamond League.
Hull, who has enjoyed an extraordinary rise in athletics this year, found herself running shoulder to shoulder with the two-time Olympic champion, Kipyegon, in a thrilling 1500m showdown.
Competing at the Charlety Stadium in Paris, the city that will soon host her for the Olympic Games, Hull clocked one of the fastest times in women's 1500m history.
She pushed Kipyegon for much of the race, with the Kenyan eventually shattering the world record with a time of 3:49.04. Hull, undeterred by the outcome, bettered her own national and Oceania records, posting a time of 3:55.97, making it the fifth-fastest time ever recorded.
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14:00 - 11.08.2024
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Reflecting on that historic night, Hull, 27, emphasised the significance of going toe-to-toe with one of the sport's greatest athletes. The Australian, who has since won her country’s first Olympic middle-distance medal in over five decades, called the Paris Diamond League race the highlight of her season.
"I think the 3.50 in Paris Diamond League was probably my highlight, and I was like ‘Oh my goodness, I am really here’ kind of thing," Hull told Citius Mag.
"The next month that followed with Monaco and going into a Diamond League as a favourite was the first time I had ever been in that position and being lucky enough to have chased the world record that night with the help of some amazing women."
Hull's performance in Paris was a testament to her hard work and steady progress in the sport. She had already shown her class earlier in the season, breaking the Australian national record at the Eugene Diamond League.
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14:44 - 16.09.2024
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However, the Paris showdown truly confirmed her place among the world’s elite middle-distance runners. Hull acknowledged the mental and physical growth she’s experienced over the past few seasons, as her consistent work has led to these remarkable achievements.
“I always aim to improve and I always aim to get a little bit better each year, whether that is from racing, training, or competing,” Hull explained.
"I have just been consistent and worked so hard that I got to have some more opportunities in races that I had not anticipated being quite near for yet, but that has been built off another, and I am just proud of how I have grown in a year or two, mentally as well, just to start to navigate some different things."
Hull’s 2023 season has been a breakthrough one, culminating in her becoming the fastest 2000m runner in history after clocking a world record of 5:19.70 at the Herculis EBS Wanda Diamond League meeting ahead of the Olympic Games. Yet, despite her many accolades, it was her role in Kipyegon's historic run in Paris that she will remember most fondly.
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20:15 - 14.09.2024
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Her remarkable year continued as she went on to claim a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Paris, another major highlight of her season.
Despite the pressure of heading into the Games as a favourite, Hull rose to the occasion, returning to Australia with an Olympic medal – the first for her nation in middle-distance running since Ralph Doubell’s 800m gold in 1968.
“(Also) to go to the Olympics with that expectation of me and to handle and mail it and to come home with the silver medal and make myself proud," Hull said, reflecting on her Olympic achievement.
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