Just five days after clocking the fifth fastest 1500m in history with a time of 3:50.83 at the Paris Diamond League, Australian middle-distance runner Jessica Hull set a new world record in the 2000m at the Herculis EBS Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco. Hull broke the record with a time of 5:19.70, surpassing Francine Niyonsaba's previous mark by 1.84 seconds.
Hull was assisted by flawless pacing; Spain's Esther Guerrero led her through the first 1000 meters in 2:39.88. Following Guerrero, Heather Maclean took over as pacemaker until the 1500-meter mark, at which point Hull took the lead, maintaining a strong pace and crossing the 1600m line at 4:16.65 before finishing in 5:19.70.
Melissa Courtney Bryant from Great Britain finished second setting the British record with 5:26.08 holding off Edinah Jebitok from Kenya, who also improved the national record with 5:26.09. Cory Ann McGee from the USA set the North American record with 5:28.78.
Reflecting on her performance, Hull shared, "I definitely felt the effects of the race in Paris throughout the week. Today, the goal was simply to stay strong, even though my legs felt heavy. I pushed myself to a new level of fatigue, and it was incredible to run the last lap on my own with everyone cheering. I’ve been in many races, but attempting something like this was a first for me."
With her recent performance, including setting an Australian record in the 1500m, Hull has emerged as a strong contender for a medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Historically, Australian women have not secured a medal in the 1500m, but Hull is poised to change that narrative next month.
Women's 2000m Results:
POS | NAME | NAT | RESULT |
---|---|---|---|
1 | HULL Jessica | AUS | 5:19.70 WR |
2 | COURTNEY-BRYANT Melissa | GBR | 5:26.08 NR |
3 | JEBITOK Edinah | KEN | 5:26.09 NR |
4 | McGEE Cory Ann | USA | 5:28.78 AR |
5 | GRIFFITH Georgia | AUS | 5:28.82 |
6 | STAFFORD Lucia | CAN | 5:31.18 NR |
7 | GUILLEMOT Agathe | FRA | 5:32.63 NR |
8 | GARCÍA Marta | ESP | 5:32.86 NR |
9 | EMBAYE Axumawit | ETH | 5:34.99 |
10 | MAGEEAN Ciara | IRL | 5:43.06 |
11 | FERNÁNDEZ María Pía | URU | 5:50.21 AR |
DNF | GUERRERO Esther | ESP | |
DNF | MACLEAN Heather | USA | |
DNF | MARTÍN Lorena | ESP |
See Monaco Diamond League full results.