Major backflip as disqualified star Claudia Hollingsworth reinstated as winner after Jess Hull fall
Updated . First published
Claudia Hollingsworth has been reinstated as the winner of the women's 1500-metre final at the Australian athletics championships after successfully appealing her disqualification.
The rising star crossed the finish line in first place on Friday night but was disqualified about an hour later after she made contact with Jess Hull on the home straight and sent the Olympic silver medallist crashing.
The Hull camp lodged an appeal against Hollingsworth and the 20-year-old was disqualified but her team challenged the disqualification and the referees reconvened at midday on Saturday to make a final decision.
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Hull had set herself the epic challenge of winning each of the 800m, 1500m and 5000m titles this weekend — a feat never achieved at a single Australian championships, either by a male or female — but that has gone up in smoke and she has withdrawn from the 800m. The 800m semis and final will be run on Saturday night.
Hull, who is feeling stiff and is grazed and bruised, will go for a run on Sunday morning and then make a call on whether she contests the 5000m final in the afternoon.
Australian Athletics (AA) provided a statement to Wide World of Sports following the resolution of the incident.
"Claudia Hollingsworth has been reinstated as the winner of the 1500m at the Australian athletics championships after an appeals process by Australian Athletics," the statement said.
Claudia Hollingsworth takes the lead as Jessica Hull hits the deck. Getty
"The panel found after viewing all the available footage and interviewing concerned parties Hollingsworth's appeal was upheld.
"A request for a rerun of the 1500m is not feasible at this championships, but the Australian Athletics high-performance department and selection committees will review its status as a selection race."
Updated results now show Hollingsworth won the title in 4:17.06, with Sarah Billings taking second and Abbey Caldwell third.
Billings was promoted to first place when Hollingsworth was disqualified but she now has to accept being budged back down to second.
Hull picked herself up off the track and jogged the rest of the way, finishing last.
Her dad and coach, Simon, was ropeable.
"We're not copping that," he said, protesting from the stands.
"Jess was robbed."
Hull was gunning for her fourth consecutive national 1500m title.
Adding to the significance of the chaos on Friday night was the women's 1500m at the national titles was set to weigh heavily in the Commonwealth Games selection process, as with all events.
But the status of the women's 1500m as a selection race for this year's Glasgow Commonwealth Games will now be reviewed due to the extraordinary circumstances.
Hull is Australia's No.1 runner in the women's 1500m. The 29-year-old won silver in the event at the Paris 2024 Olympics and bronze at last year's Tokyo world championships. She is also the national record holder.
How the fall occurred
Hull was in the lead as a pack of runners pulled into the home straight for the final time.
Sensing someone trying to squeeze past her on the inside — that was Hollingsworth — Hull closed the rail, which is within the rules.
Hollingsworth then tried to get on Hull's outside and gave her a tap, putting her right hand on her back.
Additionally, frame-by-frame replays appear to show Hollingsworth's right knee clipping Hull's right foot as she tries to get on her outside.
Hollingsworth, visibly shocked as Hull hit the deck, shimmied back into lane one and hurtled away.
Jessica Hull in conversation with her dad and coach, Simon, after the disaster. Getty
What Hull said
Despite the disaster, Hull spoke to media — both the Seven network and press journalists — and spent 15 minutes signing her autograph for kids and getting selfies with them.
"When it's that slow, things happen, and you can blame yourself a bit because I let it go as slowly as they did," Hull told reporters immediately after the ra
"It happens. I felt like I had just hit my last gear and I got tapped. I was closing the rail because I knew someone was there, and I just went down ... When you're going that fast the slightest bump [makes] you just hit the track."
What Hollingsworth said
"It was all an accident obviously, but we're all competitive out there and just want to do our best and win, especially for the national title," the 20-year-old said prior to being disqualified.
"There's going to be some pushing and shoving. I understand. I never like to see it happen like that.
"The race was still really good. I felt really good throughout the whole time. I didn't expect it to be so slow.
"I knew it would wind up from 800m to go and that's what I did. I knew I had to stick on Jess who was going to move at one point ... I felt really good coming into 200m [to go] and just knew I could squeeze.
Hull jogging in after falling. Getty
"My legs were feeling great so I think I was just getting frustrated and impatient, and that's what happened.
"Jess knew I was coming and I know no one's ever going to let someone in and I should have been smarter and maybe gone out around the outside, but if you see a sniff and a bit of a gap, you go for it. It probably closed quicker than I thought."
Hollingsworth described Hull as a "really clever racer" and "experienced".
"I respect her so much and it's unfortunate that happened," she added.
Hollingsworth's coach is Craig Mottram, who won a bronze medal in the 5000m at the 2005 world championships.
"I probably need to see my coach and talk to him," Hollingsworth said.
"[It was] a total accident, so I hope they [the referees] can see that."
There was no celebration or hint of joy as Hollingsworth crossed the finish line in first place. She walked over to Hull and they hugged. Hollingsworth also apologised and Hull, with a graceful smile, accepted it.
Hull (left) and Hollingsworth hug after the race. Seven
Hull and Jaylah Hancock-Cameron embrace. Getty
"When I cross the line I normally like to finish with a big smile on my face," Hollingsworth told reporters.
"I like to think that I finish really happy, and yeah, definitely mixed feelings. I never want to see a teammate like that fall down ... [I'm] definitely gonna have a chat to her and make sure she's OK.
"Definitely conflicting feelings because I feel bad, but yeah, at the end of the day it's nationals and it's going to be competitive."
Teen prodigy Myers' crushing 1500m win
Cameron Myers, 19, delivered a thumping victory in the men's 1500m final.
The young phenom from Canberra won in 3:29.85 — the fastest time ever recorded on Australian soil, but a smidgen outside Olli Hoare's national record of 3:29.41.
Hoare finished second to Myers on Friday night in 3:32.66.
Cameron Myers dominated the men's 1500m final. Oceania Athletics
"I had a plan coming to the champs," Myers said.
"I wanted to run a 3:29 if I could, or a 3:28. So I just went and attacked that, and I got close.
"It's awesome [to win the national title with a sub-3:30 time]. To do it in front of a home crowd and a tough way, it's awesome."
Myers' 2025 was hampered by injury and illness but the young gun has roared back in scintillating style in a series of runs in the US, Melbourne and now Sydney.
"It took me a little while to get going again," he said, "but since I've got going, I've really got going."
