Olympic Silver medallist Jess Hull has her eyes on Grand Slam glory and taking down a legend

Olympic silver medallist Jessica Hull became an instant legend in Paris, but as she tells Brent Read, she has so much more to achieve.

More than three months after her heroics in Paris, Jess Hull still carries her Olympic medal everywhere she goes. After all, you never know when you may need it.

“It’s been a part of a lot of the things I’ve done over the last couple of months so it goes everywhere with me,” Hull said. “School kids, they love it. So that’s been really cool to kind of see their reaction to it and you just never know which kid is sort of sitting there being like, I’m gonna do this too.

“I know what I was like as a kid and I loved the sport and I think if I had a had the chance to sort of like see a medal in real life, I would have just been stoked.”

Hull was one of the stories of the Paris Olympics for Australia, grabbing a slice of history as she pushed world record holder Faith Kipyegon all the way in the final of the 1500m.

She finished with silver but became the first Australian woman to medal in the 1500m in Olympic history and joined legends Sally Pearson and Cathy Freeman as Australia’s only track medallists this century.

Her life has been a whirlwind since. Corporate giants have wanted a slice of her golden smile. She jetted to America where she was feted at Nike headquarters in Eugene and honoured by Oregon University – her alma mater – as a special guest at a football game before 60,000 fans.

Olympian Jess Hull at the Kerryn McCann Athletic Centre in Wollongong. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Then, she joined rarefied air in signing up to the Grand Slam Track concept, a global league involving the sport’s elite devised by American sprint legend Michael Johnson.

Big money is at stake and Hull was hand-picked by Johnson to be part of the concept, which involves four race days with appearance fees and guaranteed prizemoney.

Hull will race the 800m and 1500m and has the chance to win up to $US400,000.

“It’s huge,” Hull said.

“It’s gonna be awesome. It’s new and it’s innovative and it’s gonna come with some resistance because our sport is so traditional.

“Speaking to Michael Johnson and then the athletes that he’s assembled and seeing the excitement – the athletes are what’s gonna make this league, and the athletes that are signed on are really keen and really excited for their opportunities.”

Olympic silver medallist Jess Hull poses for photos at the Arc de Triomphe. Photo: Michael Klein

GRAND SLAM GLORY

Johnson is one of the giants of the sport. A four-time Olympic champion, he was the brains behind Grand Slam Track, a series modelled on the Grand Slam tennis tournaments involving the cream of the sport with overall prize money of nearly $20 million.

Hurdling golden girl Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was the first to sign on and other big names have followed, shaking up athletics in the process and prompting the world body to increase their prize money in response.

Hull is one of the four athletes who are guaranteed a start in the 800m and 1500m at the four events, to be held in Miami. Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Kingston, Jamaica.

She sat down with Johnson before signing with the series and walked away confident that it will make a big splash.

“That was the first time I sort of met him in person – down in LA,” she said.

“I could have had the chance to meet him in Paris, but (I raced) so late in the program, I was not really doing anything else other than preparing for my race.

“So I didn’t catch him in Paris, but he’s been at every Diamond League this year. He’s always said hello and stuff but this was my first conversation with him.”

Hull was blown away by the concept, which involves four contracted athletes in each race against four challengers who are handed invitations.

“I think having an Australian in the league is pretty exciting for Australian athletics,” she said.

“I would love to see more of us get some opportunities in the future. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the likes of Abby Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth in the future, they can definitely get there.”

Hull during the Olympic 1500m final at Stade de France. Phoot: Michael Klein

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Hull has watched a replay of the Paris final and she can’t help but feel a tinge of regret. While there is immense pride at walking away with a silver medal behind one of the legends of the sport, there is also a sense of missed opportunity.

“It’s strange because when I walked off the track, I was stoked,” Hull said.

“I don’t think there’s anything more I could have done to get the silver. Watching it back, I was like damn it.

“There’s a there’s a couple of spots in there that get me, particularly right at the bell where I was just like, should have held my ground a little bit more and you never know.

“I think there’s room for improvement still, which is what you want as an athlete. You don’t want to run the perfect race, you need to have a reason to show up to the track for the rest of the year now and work on towards next year.”

Her year will be hectic. She will likely jump on a plane in March and spend most of her time overseas, returning after the world championships in Tokyo in September.

The goal is to take down Kipyegon and own the 1500m.

“She’s been the greatest we’ve ever seen,” Hull said.

“I think if she moves on from the 1500m, there’ll be a there’ll be an Asterix next to the next person if they don’t have a chance to win the gold with Faith in the race.

“I think any of us that race her would say that she’s been so dominant, until someone actually has a chance to finish ahead of her, you can’t say you’re better than her.”

LA AND … … MAYBE BRISBANE 

Hull turned 28 in October and is all-in on chasing gold in Los Angeles. Her and husband Daniel Jolliffe have put plans for a family on hold until at least than as she pours her energy into going one better in four years time.

“It definitely something you think about,” Hull said of starting a family.

“It’s not on the cards in the next Olympic cycle – we’re all-in on winning a gold medal in LA. I don’t know beyond that.

“You never know kind of what change of heart you have at that point in time. But the next four years, on the track, I know what the big goal is.”

Hull will be 35 by the time the Brisbane Olympics arrive but she hasn’t ruled out taking a shot at a medal on home soil.

Hull poses with the Australian flag ahead of the Paris Olympic Games. Pic: Michael Klein

She has seen the likes of Laura Muir and compatriot Linden Hall run into their 30s and continue to contend.

“It is doable, but I don’t know that it would be doable in the 1500m,” she said.

“I’d probably be looking at the 5000m. At the same time …. it’s like touchy subject but I’ve had (injury) issues my whole career as a professional, and I wonder if that’s gonna give me some time back on the tail-end of my career that we haven’t typically seen athletes have in the past.”