It was a history-making night for Australia at the athletics world championships in Tokyo on Thursday, with a number of our top female runners creating never-before-seen moments. As well as Gout Gout and Torrie Lewis impressing despite missing the 200m finals, there were some stunning performances from the likes of Rose Davies, Linden Hall, Abby Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth.
Jessica Hull, who made history when she won bronze in the 1500m earlier in the meet, was involved in dramatic scenes in the 800m heats when she was tripped and fell to the track. The Aussie golden girl was left with a bloodied leg, but got back to her feet and finished the race.
Jessica Hull was reinstated after falling in the 800m heats, while Linden Hall and Rose Davies both made the 1500m final. Image: Channel 9/Getty
The Aussies later lodged a protest, and World Athletics reinstated Hull and sent her through to the semi-finals. “I was running, and just next second I knew I was on the ground and the whole pack was leaping over me,” Hull told Channel 9 post-race. “There’s nothing different I could have done, so I think it deserves a shot and an appeal.
“I was taken out from behind, so I think, personally, I haven’t done anything wrong. I think my foot was clipped in the pack. I think when you’re running like that everyone is so congested that it happens. Things like this do happen. So I guess I’ve probably been trying to pull my stride through as someone’s clipped me, and it’s just pulled my legs out from underneath.
“I’m probably lucky the track is a bit wet because I just slid versus hitting the ground. I’m disappointed because I know there’s a big PB [personal best] in there, and I was out there and I was at the front, which was like phenomenal for me to get out like that. The first 200 for me is the hardest part of the race, and to put myself right in it, I was like, ‘OK, here we go’, and I was ready.”
Jessica Hull finished last in her 800m heat after being tripped. Image: Getty
Aussie women make athletics history in 800m and 5000m
The decision to reinstate Hull for the 800m semi-finals created some remarkable history for Australia. Hull now joins Caldwell and Hollingsworth in the next round, marking the first time in history that Australia has had three women in the semis of an 800m event at a world championships.
National record-holder Hollingsworth ran a controlled race to finish third in her heat in one minute, 59.06 seconds. Caldwell (1:58.71) got through as one of the three fastest non-automatic qualifiers.
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And there was also history for Australia in the 5000m. Davies and Hall both progressed past the semi-finals – the first time Australia has had two women in the 5000m final. They finished fifth and seventh respectively in the second of two heats.
“I wanted to just roll with the pack and have a big last kilometre,” Hall said afterwards. Davies added: “It was nice to see you (Hall) near the front, it gives you an extra burst. For the final I’ll just follow the race and see what happens.”
Linden Hall and Rose Davies celebrate after making the 1500m final together. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
In the 200m, Gout finished fourth in his semi-final in 20.36 seconds, but earned plenty of plaudits for his performance at age 17. And Lewis also missed the final after finishing fourth in her semi in 22.69, but is taking plenty away from the meet after breaking her own national record in the 100m heats.
with AAP