Aussies Jessica Hull, Adam Spencer win world medals as American schoolboy creates history
Australian middle-distance runner Peter Bol was forced to settle for fourth in the men's 800 metres at the world athletics indoor championships — the dreaded position he finished in at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics — as American schoolboy Cooper Lutkenhaus won an historic gold medal.
But Australia won a pair of medals in the final session of the championships in Poland via Jessica Hull and Adam Spencer, who grabbed silver in the women's 1500m and bronze in the men's 1500m, respectively, on Monday (AEDT).
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Bol's hard luck
Bol clocked 1:45.14 to break the national indoor 800m record held by Charlie Hunter since 2021 — but a maiden global medal remains elusive after he was out-kicked on the final lap.
The 32-year-old sat third at the bell but Spain's Mohamed Attaoui surged past him on the back straight and held off the Australian.
In 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics, Bol entered the home straight in second place before fading to finish fourth.
His series of runs in Tokyo, including a semi-final win, made him a national icon, but he left Japan without a medal to show for it.
Catch up on the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships on Nine and 9Now.
The winner of the 800m at the world indoor championships, 17-year-old Lutkenhaus, became the youngest individual male winner of any event at a world championships, indoors or out.
He had to miss a chunk of schooling at Northwest High School in Texas to compete at the championships.
Lutkenhaus won gold in 1:44.24.
American schoolboy Cooper Lutkenhaus on his way to winning gold in the men's 800m. Australia's Peter Bol finished fourth. Getty
Hull scoops another global medal
As the women's 1500m final kicked off, renowned athletics commentator Geoff Wightman described Hull as a "serial medallist".
A few minutes later, she'd won a global medal for the seventh time.
Great Britain's Georgia Hunter Bell clinched gold in 3:58.53, with Hull netting silver in 3:59.45 and American Nikki Hiltz picking up bronze in 3:59.68.
In a record-breaking run, Hull became the first Australian woman to crack the four-minute barrier in an indoor 1500m.
On day two of the championships, Hull won bronze in the 3000m in 8:58.18.
Australia's Jessica Hull with her silver medal. Getty
Spencer's breakthrough run
Spencer was in a precarious position at the bell in the men's 1500m final. He was sitting fifth and was trapped in lane one. He was still in that position as the field rounded into the home straight.
But a gap opened up on the inside over the final 20 metres and Spencer, a noted kicker, shot through it to pluck bronze and score his maiden global medal.
The Melburnian finished third in 3:40.26, behind Spain's Mariano Garcia (3:39.63) and Portugal's Isaac Nader (3:40.06).
"What a run from Adam Spencer, coming through late for the bronze," Wightman said in commentary.
Spencer was a relieved man.
"The plan was to stay on the rails, which is a bit risky," he said.
"I just stuck to it and was super patient, and when the gap opened up, I just sent it!
"Hopefully I make more finals and win more medals. There will be more opportunities and I just need to make the most of them."
Australia's bag of medals
Australia fielded a team of only 11 athletes for the championships, but will return with five medals: three bronzes and two silvers.
Only the US, with 18 medals, tallied more, and only the US, Australia, Italy and Spain won as many as five medals.
Australia finished way down in 17th on the medal table, which values gold medals above the number of medals, but it was an impressive campaign, especially given the size of the team and that world indoor championships aren't a priority of Australian Athletics given the global indoor season clashes with the domestic season.
Australia's world indoor championship medallists
Jessica Hull | Bronze, women's 3000m; Silver, women's 1500m
Nicola Olyslagers | Silver, women's high jump
Adam Spencer | Bronze, men's 1500m
Kurtis Marschall | Bronze, men's pole vault
