A powerhouse run from Jessica Hull helped Australia’s middle-distance dream team deliver on the hype in Bathurst and claim the country’s fourth-ever World Cross Country Championships medal.
In sweltering, 36-degree heat on the side of Mount Panorama, where Australia is hosting the WXC, all eyes were on the stacked Aussie mixed relay team, featuring star 1500m runners Stewart McSweyn, Hull, Ollie Hoare and Abbey Caldwell; a unit considered the hosts’ best chance of success against the might of the African nations.
And they delivered. Going toe-to-toe with the Kenyan and Ethiopian teams, Australia led the 4x2km race after a superb second leg by Hull but eventually had to settle for bronze as the two African teams showed their class.
It was only the fourth medal won by Australia in WCX history, after Benita Willis’ win in 2004, and two women’s team medals in 2006 and 2008.
“We all went in with a plan that if we all ran 100 per cent and all ran good races, wear the guernsey with pride, we are going to be right in the mix,” McSweyn said.
“I thought we all executed good races and to compete with the powerhouses like Ethiopia and Kenya, hopefully it puts Australia on the world map. Maybe we are part of the big three of distance running now.”
Jessica Hull strides to the front in the second leg of the World Cross Country relay.Credit:Getty
McSweyn was joking but as far as a boisterous home crowd was concerned, Australia were definitely one of the big dogs for the 23-minute race, which was only added to the WXC schedule in 2017.
Olympic 1500m finalist Hoare started and handed over to another Olympic 1500m finalist – Hull – in third place.
The 26-year-old from Albion Park surged past Kenya and South Africa and handed over to McSweyn in first, but the speedster was hauled in by Kenya.
He handed over in second place to Caldwell, who hung tough on the brutal course but fell back to third. She held off Caster Semenya, who put South Africa into fourth.
Stewart McSweyn, Abbey Caldwell, Jessica Hull and Ollie Hoare after the race. Credit:Getty
“I tried to stay patient and not get carried away. Chasing was the way for me to run the leg, so I could measure it out a bit more,” Hull said. “It was incredible.“
Hoare said he hoped the rare medal against elite competition would inspire young Australians to pursue athletics and follow in their footsteps.
“No world medal is just given to you and you have to work hard for it. And doing it under pressure as well. Being at home, personally I found it uplifting,” Hoare said.
“The Africans are incredible at this particular sport, they’re so dominant. For us, we are so fortunate to have a real big boom in middle distance and … having the opportunity for the four of us to medal for Australia.
Ollie Hoare (right) leads off the Australian team.Credit:Getty
“Hopefully this inspires a lot of young kids who came out and watched, drove long distances and braved the heat, to be a part of athletics.
“Because athletics and cross country is an extremely hard sport to follow, and I thought the one thing we can do here is medal and brings the belief that if we can do it, why can’t we?”
