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Records tumble on eve of Olympics, including one that stood since 1987, as athletics team finalised
By Michael Gleeson
Time and timing. Jessica Hull’s time was one of the quickest any woman has ever run in the 1500 metres, and on the eve of the Olympics her timing couldn’t be better.
Chasing the imperious Faith Kipyegon all the way to the line as the dual Olympic champion broke the world record in a time of three minutes, 49.04 seconds, Hull was dragged to record the fifth-quickest time ever by a woman in the event. Of course, it meant she also set a new Oceania record.
Her timing couldn’t be better, weeks out from the Olympics.
On a dramatic night at the Paris Diamond League, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh broke the 37-year-old world record – one of the oldest standing women’s world records – for the high jump when she cleared 2.10m.
Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers, coming back from an injury niggle, was pleased to clear 2.01m, but had to be a spectator to Mahuchikh’s commanding performance after missing at 2.03m.
“I was injured for three weeks and I started jumping off my full run-up last Thursday. This competition I had to really trust myself and tap into what I have done in the past, rather than relying on my jumping the past few weeks,” Olyslagers said.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh broke one of the longest standing records in world athletics.Credit: Getty Images
“The 2.01m was a good jump. One thing that is awesome about a good jump is that you stop relying on your strength, you just relax and let your feet carry you over the bar. I nailed that and wondered why I had been trying so hard.”
Mahuchikh’s jump beat by one centimetre the 2.09m jumped by Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova at the 1987 Rome world championships.
Hull took the approach from the outset to go with Kipyegon, see how long she could hold on for and see where it took her. It took her to a time of 3:50.83, a new personal best and national record.
“I knew I was going to go with Faith today. I’m going to die trying today, I don’t want to die wondering. Down the back stretch, she kept looking at me, and I was like, ‘She’s surprised I’m still here,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m surprised I’m still here!’ I can always run another 200, so I’m stoked,” Hull told Citius Mag.
Faith Kipyegon on her way to a record victory in Paris, with Jessica Hull behind her.Credit: Getty Images
She added: “Having grown up watching Faith and then competing against her on the circuit, I have always believed in what she was doing, and to get so close to her today is mind-blowing. She was the first one to humanise these times for us girls.
“I said to myself that I’m basically running a 1100m race today, and if I get further, then I get further.”
After clearing 2.03m and being certain of victory, Mahuchikh moved the bar to 2.07m and broke the Ukrainian national record.
She raised the bar to the world record height 2.10m and cleared it with her first attempt.
Nicola Olyslagers salutes the crowd at Stade Charlety in Paris.Credit: Getty Images
“Coming into this competition, I had feelings that I could jump 2.07m and maybe 2.10m,” the 22-year-old said.
“Finally, I signed Ukraine to the history of world athletics.
“My coach told me that maybe I should stop because I have the Olympic Games coming up – and, of course, that is more important – but I felt inside I could do it.”
Australia’s other medal hope in the high jump, the 2022 world champion Eleanor Patterson, finished fifth, leaping 1.95m.
Athletics team finalised for Paris
Sprint champion Rohan Browning was helped by the rolldown of world rankings to claim a spot when the final Australian athletics team was confirmed for Paris on Monday.
Australia announced 55 athletes to join the 20 already selected for Paris, bringing the total number 75, the second-largest Australian athletics team after Sydney 2000.
In the women’s 800m, where Australia had more women qualified than places available, the selectors went for the experience of national record holder Catriona Bisset over the emerging talent of Bendere Oboya.
Rohan Browning will compete in Paris.Credit: Getty
Oboya, who ran the 400m in Tokyo, has changed up to the two-lap race and had qualified. Australia had already announced teenage star Claudia Hollingsworth and Abbey Caldwell on the team for two of the three available places.
Browning, and women’s 100m sprinter Bree Masters, were both one place outside the world rankings cut-off last week and had to wait to learn if places opened up from injuries or countries not taking up positions. Both got in.
Browning made the semi-final at the Games in Tokyo when he ran 10.01s in his heat to claim a spot in the semi-finals. In Budapest at the world championships last year, he ran 10.11s in his heat to also get through to the semi-final but missed the final.
He has battled a knee injury this year that has hampered his training but has been in a solid training block in Europe for the past month since racing in the Oceania championships in Fiji in June.
Joe Deng, the 800m national record holder, who has stepped away from the sport for periods, has been picked to join Tokyo fourth place getter Peter Bol, who was already selected on the team, and Peyton Craig.
Fellow 800m runner Luke Boyes was unlucky, unable to be considered due to a quirk of rules on world rankings that make spots available for countries without any qualified athlete to nominate for either the 100m, 800m or the marathon. That meant there were few places available in the rolldown for the 800m and Boyes was left ineligible.
The 75-member team includes 34 debutants and two women, Gen Gregson and Kathryn Mitchell, who will compete at their fourth Olympics.
“The athletics team is the largest of any sport and they will contribute greatly to the positive environment of the broader Australian Olympic team,” chef de mission Anna Meares said.
“Today’s announcement finalises our Australian Olympic Team at 460 athletes.”
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