Albion Park star selected for Tokyo Olympics

The middle-distance runner qualified for the Games by winning the Australian 5000 metre title in February and previously running the qualifying standard.

The uncertainty surrounding coronavirus and the eventual postponement of the Olympics led to a delay in the official announcement of qualified athletes.

Read more: Silver lining, 20 years on from 'devastating' Sydney Olympics injury

That confirmation came this week, with Hull one of five Australians to be named in the team.

The other previously qualified athletes to be selected were javelin world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber, walkers Dane Bird-Smith and Jemima Montag, and long-distance star Stewart McSweyn.

Hull raced in the 1500m at last year's World Championships where she achieved the Olympic qualifying standard.

A tough decision looms for the athlete, with the Tokyo schedule preventing runners from contesting both events.

The emerging star is currently in Stockholm, where she will compete in an 800m race at the second Diamond League event, however she will now have one eye firmly fixed on the big goal in Japan next year.

"It gives me goosebumps to think about Tokyo," Hull said.

"While we have to wait another year, it will increase the buildup and heighten the emotion, we're going to be so happy when we get out there. It's a childhood dream and now I know I'll be there in Tokyo."

Hull returned to racing last weekend, shattering the Australian record in the 5000m race at the Monaco Diamond League event.

Running a time of 14:43.8, she broke Benita Willis' 18-year-old record by almost four seconds.

The track athlete is normally based in Oregon, USA, where she trains with Pete Julian's professional Nike squad, however she has spent the past five months training at home in the Illawarra as a result of the coronavirus.

Read more: Davies delighted to re-commit to Giants

On the back of breaking the national record, she said it was great to see the hard work at training translate to a stunning performance on the track.

"The biggest thing the past few months has showed me - through lockdown and quarantine, treadmill runs to just doing your part to stop the spread - we can achieve a lot more than we think we can.

"I was so lucky to have a lot of people around me back home who were willing to help out.

"It's the culmination of so much consistent hard work and continual belief that eventually there'll be a chance to showcase what I'm doing in training.

"This is the opportunity I've been waiting for and I'm not going to waste it."