Australia’s top middle distance runner is challenging herself to achieve something never achieved before: winning the 800m, 1500m and 5000m at a single national championships.
Hull, the Australian record holder over 800m (1:57.15) and 1500m (3:50.83), and former record holder over 5000m (14:43.80, now fifth on the Australian all-time list behind Rose Davies’s 14:31.45), will have a busy four-day meet starting tomorrow at the freshly resurfaced Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre.
No Australian woman has ever won titles over all three distances, while the two men who have, John Landy and Simon Doyle, achieved them across multiple meets across multiple years:
- Landy in the 880 yards and mile in 1953 (the first of three consecutive titles in the mile) and adding the 3-miles in 1956.
- Doyle claiming the 800m in 1989, 5000m in 1990 and 1500m in 1991 (as part of an 800m/1500m double)
Hull will have a tight 33 minute turnaround between the final two runs of her campaign, the 800m and 5000m, channeling the exploits of distance running great Paavo Nurmi, who won the 1500m/5000m double at the Paris Olympics in 1924 with just a 45 minute period between races.
“Dad and I were joking about it at training back in November, but the more I thought about it, the more it excited me, and I really wanted to give it a go,” Hull told straightatit_.
“I’m just taking things one race at a time this weekend. It’s been motivating having this as a goal over the last few months.”
Hull’s timetable is:
- Thursday, 1:00pm: 1500m heat
- Friday, 8:19pm: 1500m final
- Saturday, 7:35pm: 800m heat [Hull, as one of the top 14 seeded athletes is excused from the preliminary round of the 800m held on Friday]
- Sunday, 12:55pm: 800m final
- Sunday, 1:28pm: 5000m final
Despite her world class pedigree, including a medal winning double over 1500m/3000m at last month’s World Indoor Championships, Hull will face considerable challenge across all distances, with the following Australian representative athletes entered across the events:
- Catriona Bisset: 800m. Former Australian record holder but ranked outside the top 8 in the nation so far during the Commonwealth Games qualifying period.
- Claudia Hollingsworth: 800m and 1500m, having focused on 1500m so far this season including victories at the Maurie Plant Meet and an Australian Allcomers record of 3:58.09 at Box Hill.
- Abbey Caldwell: 800m and 1500m, having raced frequently, in form and a known championship performer. Missed the Maurie Plant meet with illness.
- Sarah Billings: 800m and 1500m, having raced sparingly so far and coming into form.
- Linden Hall: 1500m and 5000m, experienced campaigner coming off a strong indoor season.
- Georgia Griffith: 1500m and 5000m, the Australian record holder over 3000m, and having only raced that mid-distance so far this season.
- Lauren Ryan: 1500m and 5000m, better known as a 5000m/10000m runner but with a point to prove after not being provided a start over the metric mile at the Maurie Plant meet. A tenacious racer.
- Rose Davies: 5000m, the Australian record holder over the distance with a devasting kick. Took out the 3000m at the Maurie Plant Meet and will improve with each run.
