Jessica Hull breaks 2000m world record at Monaco Diamond League 2024

Australia’s Jessica Hull set a new world record in the women’s 2000m at the Monaco Diamond League 2024 meeting on Friday.

The 27-year-old Jessica Hull clocked 5:19.70 to win the race at Meeting Herculis, eclipsing the previous world record of 5:21.56 – set by Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi three years ago – by nearly two seconds.

Five days earlier, Jessica set a new national record in the women’s 1500m at the Eugene Diamond League and became the fifth-fastest runner in the history of the event.

Jessica Hull will represent Australia at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics in the 1500m. The 2000m is a non-Olympic event.

“I ran at a different pace and level of fatigue I have never been before,” Jessica said. “It was incredible, when I was on my own in the last lap, everyone was cheering for me. It is amazing to be called a world record holder now.

“I ran hard for this record, I worked extremely hard for this too. There are for sure some women who can run that 5:19, but for now, I have my place in the history books.”

The Aussie won the 2000m race by 6.4 seconds. Melissa Courtney-Bryant finished second with a British record of 5:26.08 while Edinah Jebitok clocked a Kenyan record of 5:26.09 in third. Georgia Griffith of Australia was fifth in 5:28.82.

In the women’s pole vault event at the Monaco Diamond League, Nina Kennedy finished first, also with a season-best effort. Kennedy took the top spot with 4.88m, just three centimetres shy of her personal best.

“I had a really good jump at 4.88m tonight,” Kennedy said. “Doing it in my first attempt, it was really important. Results by other girls show us that everyone is in really good form… Everyone is pushing for Olympic gold. Our sport is in a really good shape. Now I just got a fire in my belly and I want to win in Paris.”

In the women’s javelin throw, meanwhile, Mackenzie Little of Australia finished second with a season-best effort of 64.74m, nearly a metre short of her personal best of 65.70m.

Yual Reath settled for fifth place in the men’s high jump (2.25m), Lauren Ryan came in 13th in the women’s 5000m (15:22.03) and Oliver Hoare was seventh in the men’s 1500m (3:31.07).

Barring Hoare, all other Australians who competed at the Monaco Diamond League have made the Australian Olympic team for Paris 2024.