A smiling Jessica Hull remains on track for a strong 2024 Olympics campaign after delivering another sub-four minute performance in the 1500m at the World Athletics Championships.
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The Albion Park talent finished seventh, clocking 3:59.54 in Budapest in the early hours of Wednesday (AEDT). It was the second successive successive year that Hull has finished seventh over that distance at the prestigious competition.
It was also the second time in two days that Hull managed a sub-four minute time over 1500m, following a solid performance in the women's 1500m semi-final in Budapest.
Wednesday's race was won by Kenyan superstar Faith Kipyegon (3:54.87).
Hull took to Instagram on Wednesday to express her delight with the performance.
"Lining up with the best women in the world wearing the green and gold is the feeling we work so hard for all year. I'm soaking up every moment of it," the 26-year-old wrote.
"This is the first time I've crossed the line at a championships and been immediately happy with the race I laid out there. Back-to-back seventh places in the last two World Champs finals and a whole lot of growth in between is a good spot to be, with one eye already looking ahead to more.
"Proud of what we're building."
Hull also told reporters post-race that "I never thought 48 hours apart that I could break four minutes twice".
"The last 12 months, I have literally thought about that final in Eugene [2022 World Championships] and it's been in my head every training session. I have to go out in 58 seconds this year, and I have to be able to do it and hang on," she said.
"After the semi-final, we recognised that it is 12 months away. If we look at the landscape of the event, with Faith, Sifan (Hassan) and Laura (Muir), they are 29 or 30 and I'm 26. I think we are starting to see peaks a bit later in this event, so we said let's pivot and be mature, and race where we are at right now as a 26-year-old.
"I know that this next Olympic cycle is my peak."
Hull will now start preparing for her women's 5000m campaign in Budapest, with the heats beginning on Thursday (AEDT).
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Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
