Track sensation Jessica Hull has broken new ground for Australia, collecting the country’s first ever medal in the 1500m at a World Athletics Championships by holding on for bronze to secure the fourth global medal of her career.
Hot on the heels of world record holder and the now four-time world champion in the event, Faith Kipyegon (KEN) from start to finish, Hull kept her cool en route to picking up Australia’s second medal of the Championships, bravely battling to the finish line against the trio of Kenyans.
While Dorcus Ewoi (KEN) ran down Hull in the final straight to claim silver in a personal best (3:54.92), the Australian dug deep to pick up the last medal on offer in 3:55.16. Hull spoiled a potential Kenyan clean sweep, with Nelly Chepchirchir closing in fast just 0.09-seconds behind the Australian champion in fourth.
“This race was a lot harder from earlier on than I was expecting tonight, but I was so committed to giving myself a chance. I thought, if it’s hard for me, it’s hard for all the women,” Hull said.
“I’ve worked so hard for it this year, so I was able to hold on in that last 20-metres or so. I could sense that there were at least three medallists there, I pressed down a little bit at the home straight and had a go at it.”
In her last competition prior to Tokyo, Hull was edged our by Chepchirchir in the Diamond League final, making the bronze medal all the more sweeter.
“The Kenyans gave themselves every chance, but I had to fight back. Nelly got me in Zurich and I was definitely having flashbacks to that run down the home straight, trying to hang on. I think everything happens for a reason.”
In claiming bronze tonight, Hull also grabs onto the first middle-distance medal at the prestigious meet since Craig Mottram’s bronze in 2005. Hull will be back in action on Thursday evening for the first round of the Women’s 800m.
Competing in his first major championship final, high jumper Yual Reath (VIC, Mike Barber) was left wanting more and frustrated by being hampered by an injury to his take-off knee. Having jumped 2.25m in qualifying and aiming for 2.30m in the final, he was only able to clear 2.20m to place equal 11th.
The gold medal was won by New Zealand’s Olympic Champion Hamish Kerr with a world lead clearance of 2.36m. Sanghyeok Woo (KOR) claimed silver with 2.34m and 2.31m was enough for bronze on a countback.
Conceding he had less competition practise than desired over the season, the Ballarat product placed equal 11th overall.
“It didn’t go how I wanted it to but I had to just give it as much as I could. I was just struggling with a bit of a patella issue, which was annoying. I couldn’t go 100% but I gave it as much as I could,” Reath said.
“I want to get into a proper off-season where I can actually get this knee sorted. I’ve had so much in the tank, but the knee hasn’t really been on my side.
“The positive is that there’s still a ladder to climb. There’s still somebody that’s always better than you at the end of the day. So for me, that’s motivation, because I want to be that guy at the very top.”
Following an impressive 400m heat, Reece Holder (QLD, Christopher Dale) felt he could make the step up from Olympic semi-finalist to World Championship finalist here in Tokyo. But he still isn’t quite there yet.
The 23-year-old was battling with world’s best down the home straight to finish third in his semi-final. Only the top two were guaranteed and his time of 45.63 seconds was short by 0.1 seconds and he finished the Games ranked 10th. Only Mark Garner in 1991 and John Steffensen in 2005 have placed higher, when they were eighth in their World Championship finals.
“Everybody is on when it comes to Worlds and unfortunately, I wasn’t there at that level. I got my first little tease in the hot seat but I got knocked out and it is what it is,” Holder said.
“It adds fuel to the fire for sure, to go back and just work harder for next year. That’s pretty much what it is. It’s not tough luck or whatever, you just either put the work in or you didn’t and it’s about getting back to the drawing board for next season and see what happens.”
It was a tough night for Australia’s three men in 800m specialists, with the progression to the semi-finals being just out of reach. Off the back of a record-breaking season, Peter Bol (WA, Justin Rinaldi) had high hopes of reproducing his brilliance from the Tokyo Olympics when he was fourth in the final. Today, he had to settle for fourth in the heat, in a time of 1:45.15.
Up until 15 metres from home, he looked to have the automatic qualification secured but he was outdipped on the line and missed qualification by 0.02 seconds.
“Obviously, I feel a bit of disappointment not making it to the semis, but I also had an unbelievable season compared to last year and the years before. I’ve always wanted the Australian record to be in the 1:43s and I surprised myself this year getting it down to 1:42.55, so we’re getting there,” Bol said.
“Now we’ve just got to start being competitive on the world stage and try and get those medals. We’ve got a Commonwealth Games medal but that’s not enough for me. We’re going to do better.”
Olympic semi-finalist Peyton Craig (VIC, Craig Mottram) went out hard from lane 1 to try and avoid getting boxed on the rails, but he couldn’t ever quite get clear running. He got checked around the final bend and just missed a top-three finish in the desperate sprint to the line, placing fourth (1:45.44). He was bitterly disappointed with his race execution as he felt he was good enough to progress.
Despite being unable to race since Nationals (April) and only being back in spikes for four weeks due to injury, Luke Boyes (NSW, Ben St. Lawrence) was making no excuses for finishing sixth in his heat in 1:45.54. It was the best he had felt all year and he was pleased with his final 200 metres, but he let the leaders get a few metres too far away. He said he was emotional before the race at being able to make his Australian team debut after the year he has had.
Desleigh Owusu (NSW, Andrew Murphy) jumped 13.58m, and two fouls, to place 27th in the qualifying round of the Women’s Triple Jump. While the Blacktown product won’t progress to the final, Owusu makes history as the first woman to represent Australia in the Triple Jump at a major outdoor global championships.
Australia has collected two medals at the half way point of the 2025 World Athletics Championships, with the meet concluding on September 21. Competition resumes tomorrow at 8.05pm AEST and will be broadcast on both SBS and the Nine Network.
By Sascha Ryner and Andrew Reid, Australian Athletics
Posted: 17/9/2025
