FONTVIEILLE, MONACO, July 12 — After her big 1500 breakthrough behind Faith Kipyegon last week in Paris, Jessica Hull rightly figured that she had the fitness to take down a World Record. The rarely run 2000 became the target in Monaco’s Stade Louis II, and the 27-year-old Australian brought down the global standard to the crowd’s delight.
With a pacing team that stayed right on the wavelights, Hull followed Spaniards Lorena Martin and Esther Guerrero through a steady string of 64-second laps. Guerrero led her past halfway in 2:39.88 and then American Heather McLean took over at the front. She brought Hull past 1200 in 3:13.13 and stopped after 1500.
Hull finished well, storming ahead of the lights to finish in 5:19.70, slicing 1.86 from the standard that Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba set in 2021. In all, eight national records fell, Britain’s Melissa Courtney-Bryant taking 2nd in 5:26.09, edging the 5:26.09 of Kenya’s Edina Jebitok. In 4th, Cory McGee ran 5:28.78, chopping nearly 4 seconds off the 5:32.7 that Mary Slaney had run nearly 40 years ago.
Said Hull, “I’ve been in these races for a long time but I was never the one that was trying to do something. I embraced that to the maximum tonight.”
She added, “I definitely felt Paris’s race all week in the legs. So today the goal was just to be strong, even if my legs were very heavy. I ran at a different pace and level of fatigue than I have ever been at before. It was incredible, when I was on my own in the last lap, everyone was cheering for me. The wavelights also helped, I was just looking at the lights hoping that they don´t catch me… The last 200 was a long way; I didn’t want to let down the spectators.”
Rhasidat Adeleke displayed plenty of podium potential in the 400, running away from Lieke Klaver (49.64) and Kendall Ellis (50.39) on the stretch to win in a near-PR 49.17.
In the 5000, the pacing plan went out the window after the first 2K, rabbited by Dani Jones in 5:44.71. Instead, fans got to enjoy a tactical match, with 12 contenders together at the bell. Kenya’s Margaret Ekidor finished best, covering the last lap in 60.05 to take the win in a PR 14:39.49. Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw (14:40.44) and Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka (14:40.86) followed. Weini Kelati, without the wheels to kick with the crowd, landed 9th in 14:44.91.
“I wasn’t expecting to win,” said the Japan-based victor who won’t be in the Olympics.
The meet’s final race was the women’s 100, and Julien Alfred, despite a so-so start, showed her dominance with a 10.85 into a 1.0 wind. She defeated Tamari Davis and Dina Asher-Smith (both 10.99), while Luxembourg’s Patrizia van der Weken (11.02) and Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith (11.08) followed.
Said Alfred, “I felt great during the race but now my legs hurt a bit because I did [some] heavy training… I’m getting better with each race.”
The triple jump featured some of the top podium contenders doing their best jumping of the season. Thea LaFond of Dominica led the first two rounds with her opening 48-5¼ (14.76), then Leyanis Pérez of Cuba took over with her third-round 49-¾ (14.95). LaFond responded immediately with a 48-9½ (14.87). Perez improved by a centimeter to 49-1 (14.96) in round 5 to seal the win. Third, in her season opener, was Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk at 48-7¼ (14.81), ahead of Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts 48-1¾ (14.67).
Mackenzie Little led the javelin from her first throw of 212-5 (64.74). Reigning world champion Haruka Kitaguchi changed all that on the competition’s final fair throw with a 213-11 (65.21) effort.
The vault saw Nina Kennedy in some of the best form of her life. The Aussie won with a first-attempt clearance over 16-0 (4.88). Angelica Moser cleared that bar on her third try for a Swiss Record. Molly Caudery of Britain was 3rd at 15-10 (4.83), while American Katie Moon couldn’t go higher than 15-3½ (4.66).
“Everybody is showing off their best,” said Kennedy. “Our sport is in really good shape. Now I just got a fire in my belly and I want to win in Paris.”
MONACO WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(-1.0): 1. Julien Alfred (StL) 10.85; 2. Tamari Davis (US) 10.99; 3. Dina Asher-Smith (GB) 10.99; 4. Patrizia van der Weken (Lux) 11.02; 5. Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith (CI) 11.08; 6. Zoe Hobbs (NZ) 11.15; 7. Tamara Clark (US) 11.25; 8. Aleia Hobbs (US) 11.26.
400: 1. Rhasidat Adeleke (Ire) 49.17; 2. Lieke Klaver (Neth) 49.64 PR; 3. Kendall Ellis (US) 50.39; 4. Amandine Brossier (Fra) 50.43 PR; 5. Lurdes Gloria Manuel (CzR) 50.72; 6. Emma Montoya (Fra) 51.76 PR.
2000: 1. Jessica Hull (Aus) 5:19.70 WR (old WR 5:21.56 Francine Niyonsaba [Bur] ’21);
2. Melissa Courtney-Bryant (GB) 5:26.08 NR (6, 6 W); 3. Edina Jebitok (Ken) 5:26.09 NR (7, 7 W);
4. Cory McGee (US) 5:28.78 AR (old AR 5:32.7 Mary Slaney [Athletics West] ’84);
5. Georgia Griffith (Aus) 5:28.82 PR; 6. Lucia Stafford (Can) 5:31.18 PR; 7. Agathe Guillemot (Fra) 5:32.63 NR; 8. Marta García (Spa) 5:32.86 NR; 9. Axumawit Embaye (Eth) 5:34.99 PR; 10. Ciara Mageean (Ire) 5:43.06 PR;… rabbit—Heather MacLean (US) (3:13.13).
(best-ever mark-for-place: 1, 3–10)
5000: 1. Margaret Ekidor (Ken) 14:39.49 PR; 2. Likina Amebaw (Eth) 14:40.44; 3. Nozomi Tanaka (Jpn) 14:40.86; 4. Fantaye Belayneh (Eth) 14:40.89; 5. Nadia Battocletti (Ita) 14:41.06; 6. Melknat Wudu (Eth) 14:43.48; 7. Marta Alemayo (Eth) 14:43.84 (8:44.03, 11:51.67); 8. Senayet Getachew (Eth) 14:44.20; 9. Weini Kelati (US) 14:44.91;… rabbits—Katie Snowden (GB) (2:51.96), Dani Jones (US) (5:44.71).
Field Events
PV: 1. Nina Kennedy (Aus) 16-0 (4.88) (14-7½, 14-11½, 15-3½ [2], 15-7¼, 15-10 [2], 16-0, 16-2 [xxx]) (4.46, 4.56, 4.66 [2], 4.76, 4.83 [2], 4.88, 4.93 [xxx]); 2. Angelica Moser (Swi) 16-0 NR (14-7½, 14-11½, 15-3½ [2], 15-7¼ [3], NR, 16-0 [3] NR, 16-2 [xxx]) (4.46, 4.56, 4.66 [2], 4.76 [3], 4.83/1 NR, 4.88 [3] NR, 4.93 [xxx]); 3. Molly Caudery (GB) 15-10 (4.83); 4. Alysha Newman (Can) 15-7¼ (4.76); 5. tie, Roberta Bruni (Ita) & Katie Moon (US) 15-3½ (4.66); 7. Emily Grove (US) 14-11½ (4.56); 8. Amálie Švábíková (CzR) 14-11½; 9. tie, Marie-Julie Bonnin (Fra) & Gabriela Leon (US) 14-7½ (4.46).
TJ: 1. Leyanis Pérez Hernández (Cub) 49-1 (14.96) (out WL) (48-1¾, f, 49-¾, 48-9½, 49-1, f) (14.67, f, 14.95, 14.87, 14.96, f); 2. Thea LaFond (Dom) 48-9½ (14.87) (48-5¼, f, 48-9½, 48-3¼, 48-3½, 46-4w) (14.76, f, 14.87, 14.71, 14.72, 14.12w); 3. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (Ukr) 48-7¼ (14.81) (47-5, 48-7¼, 48-6, f, 47-3½, 46-9) (14.45, 14.81, 14.78, f, 14.41, 14.25); 4. Shanieka Ricketts (Jam) 48-1¾ (14.67); 5. Ackelia Smith (Jam) 46-11 (14.30); 6. Liadagmis Povea (Cub) 46-10 (14.27); 7. Neja Filipič (Slo) 46-9½ (14.26); 8. Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré (Spa) 46-7½ (14.21).
JT: 1. Haruka Kitaguchi (Jpn) 213-11 (65.21) (212-0, 200-0, f, 201-8, 204-8, 213-11) (64.63, 60.96, f, 61.46, 62.38, 65.21); 2. Mackenzie Little (Aus) 212-5 (64.74) (212-5, 199-4, 196-4, f, f, f) (64.74, 60.77, 59.84, f, f, f); 3. Anete Sietiņa (Lat) 195-6 (59.58); 4. Victoria Hudson (Aut) 194-8 (59.35); 5. Adriana Vilagoš (Ser) 190-5 (58.04); 6. Tori Peeters (NZ) 183-1 (55.80).
