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Hull Advances to 1500m Semis

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 06: Jessica Hull of Team Australia competes during the Women's 1500m Round 1 on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Middle distance runners Jessica Hull has showed she is a medal contender in the women’s 1500m progressing to the semi final at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Hull, who is a NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) athlete, conserved energy and covered the moves to comfortably finish second in her heat in 4:02.70. Although Hull broke her own Australian record (3:50.83) last month in Paris, that meet was not held at Stade de France.

“That was my first time here and I’ve never raced in a full Olympic stadium like that, so it was pretty cool. I just went on to feel in the race, and I felt great.

“I can’t falter my prep at all. I’ve been healthy, I’ve hit every workout. I’m really fit. I’ve got great races behind me that make me confident. I couldn’t be in a better position coming in. So now it’s time to unlock that and see what that looks like as we go through the rounds.”

There was one moment of concern where some girls around Jess got bumped with 350m to go. But she stayed out of trouble and kicked away down the back straight.

Jess said the feeling in the team is very positive with three medals from the athletics team already.

“Seeing people like Matt Denny and Nina yesterday being so rock solid for their qualifiers,” she said.

“Having those guys around me, like Matt Denny, just gives you a little fist bump every time you walk past him.

“It’s a little connection moment, you’re like, okay, he believes in that. I’m capable of what he’s capable of and just those little things, it’s such a good team, and I think we feed off each other really well.”

Fellow NSWIS athlete Cameron McEntrye on Olympic debut in a stadium with an amazing atmosphere threw 81.18m.

The last time an Australian threw further at the Olympic Games was Jarrod Bannister in 2008. Unfortunately, he was 1.71m short of making the Olympic final.