Australia's Jessica Hull protests successfully after fall ruins 800m race
Updated . First published at
TOKYO: Jessica Hull was sent tumbling in her 800-metre heat at the world athletics championships on Thursday night but a successful protest has ensured the Australian will compete in the semi-finals.
Hull was in the thick of congestion midway through the first lap when contact made by another runner sent her falling, ruining her race.
She got up and finished the race, jogging the rest of the way.
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Jessica Hull taking a fall in her 800-metre heat. Nine
She then argued successfully that she had fallen by no fault of her own, ensuring she will line up in the semi-finals at Japan National Stadium on Friday night.
All three Australians entered in the women's 800m — Hull, Abbey Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth — progressed to the semi-finals.
Caldwell, who also took a knock in her heat but stayed on her feet, finished fourth in her heat before advancing as a non-automatic qualifier with a time of 1:58.71.
Hollingsworth, Australia's 800m record holder, finished third in her heat to secure automatic qualification. Her time was 1:59.06.
Hull's right ankle was covered in blood as she walked through the media zone.
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The Olympic 1500m silver medallist explained to reporters how the fall occurred.
"We came in at the cross and I kind of took a second to myself where I was like, 'I'm right in this', which I knew I could be," Hull said after walking off the track.
"The first 200 [metres] 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, I was running, and just next second I knew I was on the ground and the whole pack was leaping over me."
Claudia Hollingsworth leading the pack in her 800m heat. Getty
Rather than placing blame on anyone, she said it was simply the result of racing.
"But there's nothing different I could have done, so I think it deserves a shot and an appeal," Hull said.
"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."
Light rain began falling early in the night session.
"I'm probably lucky the track is a bit wet because I just slid versus hitting the ground," Hull said.
"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."
Hull won bronze in the 1500m on Tuesday night.
Two Aussies advance to women's 5000m final
Thursday night also saw Australia's Rose Davies and Linden Hall progress to the final of the women's 5000m, marking the first time Australia has had two runners reach the final in the event at a world championships.
Davies, the national 5000m record holder, finished third in 14:56.83, while Hall finished seventh in the same heat in 14:57.80.
Australia's Georgia Griffith was eliminated in her heat of the 5000m, finishing 17th in 15:33.15.
Davies and Hall will run in the 5000m final on Saturday night.
