Olympic silver medallist Jessica Hull has been left heartbroken after a dramatic fall in the women’s 1500m final at the Australian Athletics Championships sparked chaos, protests and confusion over the result.
Hull, 29, looked set to claim a fourth straight national title as she surged clear in the home straight, only to be brought down after contact from rising star Claudia Hollingsworth with less than 60 metres remaining.
The Sydneysider hit the track at full speed in a sickening moment, with the crowd audibly reacting as her bid for victory was abruptly ended.
Hollingsworth stayed upright and crossed the line first in 4:17.06, but her initial triumph was overshadowed by the incident, with the 20-year-old immediately showing remorse.
She could be heard repeatedly telling Hull: ‘I’m so sorry,’ as she rushed to check on her fallen rival.
Despite the devastation, Hull showed remarkable composure, picking herself up to finish the race before consoling Hollingsworth at the finish line.
Jessica Hull looked certain to win before a late collision sent her crashing to track in chaotic championship finale
Appeals from Hull and Abbey Caldwell were dismissed despite widespread belief the Olympic medallist had been clearly tripped
Hull showed composure, finishing race and consoling Hollingsworth despite heartbreak and losing chance at fourth straight national title
‘It was that slow, things happen. I thought I was away, I could see the shadows and I was like ‘I’ve got this’. Then I closed the rail and I went down,’ Hull said.
‘I don’t know who it was but whoever was trying to come through on the rail just gave me a tap and when you’re going that fast you go down.
‘That’s racing, it happens. I’ll be better off for it because maybe don’t let it go that slow next time.’
The incident triggered immediate controversy, with both Hull and Abbey Caldwell, who was also impeded in the chaos, lodging protests after the race.
Many believed Hull had been clearly tripped, but in a stunning twist, both appeals were dismissed, allowing Hollingsworth’s result to stand.
That outcome only added to the confusion, with other reports suggesting officials were still reviewing the incident following multiple protests.
Earlier, Hull had indicated just how marginal the contact was at top speed.
‘When it’s that slow, things happen – you can blame yourself a bit because I let it go as slow as they did,’ she said.
Hollingsworth crossed first but immediately apologised, repeatedly telling Hull ‘I’m so sorry’ after shocking incident unfolded
‘But I felt like I had just hit my last gear.
‘Whoever was coming from behind just gave me a tap, and when you’re going that fast, the slightest bump, you just hit the track.’
Hollingsworth also admitted she may have misjudged the move in her attempt to seize victory.
‘I know no-one’s ever going to let someone in, and I should have been smarter and maybe gone out a bit more on the outside, but if you see a sniff and a bit of a gap, you go for it,’ she said.
‘Total accident, so I hope they can see that.’
The dramatic collision has echoes of Hull’s misfortune at last year’s World Championships in Tokyo, where she also fell mid-race before successfully appealing to continue.
This time, however, there was no such reprieve, leaving her national title hopes in tatters in one of the most chaotic finishes seen on Australian soil.
Adding to the night’s drama, sprint sensation Lachlan Kennedy lit up the track earlier with a blistering 9.96-second run in the 100m heats, becoming the first Australian to break the 10-second barrier legally on home soil.
