64-year Aussie first awaits as Jess Hull semi-final stunner blows Olympics away

History is awaiting Australian Jess Hull, who has the chance to do something no other Aussie has achieved in 64-years.

Jess Hull is running for gold. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Aussie superstar Jess Hull is a hot favourite to make history on the athletics track in Paris on Sunday morning (4.15am AEST).

The 27-year-old Aussie powered into the Olympic final, finishing second in her semi-final behind Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji.

In a time of 3:55.40, she was even the second fastest qualifier for the final despite world record holder Faith Kipyegon from Kenya running in the other semi-final in a time that was more than three seconds slower.

Incredibly, Hull’s strong time was even after easing up in the final 20m.

After all, it was all about getting into the final.

“Keep it simple, stay out of trouble,” Hull said of her pre-race mindset.

“Gudaf and Diribe were talking to each other in the call room so I thought they’re just going to get this going.

“I could just tell from the way they were chatting. It’s simple.

“I race these women a lot and customarily if the Ethiopians are talking to each other in the call room in their own language, they’re probably going to do something together out there and I just figured Gudaf was telling Diribe to go and do certain things so it made it pretty simple for me.”

Hull was stuck to Weltiji’s back. Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images

But this is only the tip of the iceberg for Hull’s form.

In early July, Hull stunned the world when she pushed Kipyegon all the way in a Diamond League meet.

Hull pushed so hard Kiyegon broke the world record, dropping it to 3:49.04 with Hull’s time of 3:50.83 not only lowering her Australian record and personal best, but setting the fifth fastest run of all-time.

Five days later, running the 2000m, which is rarely raced and not an Olympic event, Hull lowered the world record by almost two seconds, running 5:19.70 to break the record previously held by Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba in 2018 of 5:21.56.

So it’s clear the Aussie has more to give with the Aussie even predicting she could claim a historic gold medal.

“I do (believe I can win the gold),” Hull said.

“It’s the greatest time for the 1500 ever, we’re saying 3:56 just to make the final from that heat so that’s insane.

“It’s a privilege to be in the position where people are talking about me as a medal contender, let alone a gold medal contender.

“Faith is not going to go down without an absolute fight, the Ethiopians are ready as well, so it’s going to be a mega-final on Saturday night (Sunday morning Australian time).”

Jess Hull is a run away from history. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

While gold would be perfect, a medal of any colour would be enormous for Australia on the track, particularly at middle-distance.

In the 1500m, Australia has only ever won three medals — Edwin Flack at the first Olympics in Athens 1896, John Landy’s bronze at the 1956 Melbourne Games and Herb Elliott’s gold in Rome 1960 — meaning it’s been 64 years since our last medal of any colour in the event at an Olympics.

And Aussie woman has never achieved the feat.

Hull has come on in leaps and bounds this year.

After finishing 11th on her Tokyo Olympic debut and seventh at the world championships last year, Hull is ready to take the next step.

“Physically it feels incredible,” she said.

“Emotionally I’m just so much more mature.

“When I see those splits I’m like ‘I’ve been here before’ and I literally have.

“I’ve done things that a lot of these women haven’t done, so that’s a power to me when I’m out there.”

Hull will be the sole Aussie flying the flag in the final after Georgia Griffith faded late to finish 9th in the first semi-final, 0.79 seconds outside the final qualifying spot.