Day two in Kujawy Pomorze delivered for Oceania, with Bronze medals, finals booked and Personal Bests achieved.
FULL RESULTS | TIMETABLE | STREAMING INFORMATION
Jessica Hull (AUS) added a World Indoor bronze to her growing collection of global medals, finishing strongly in the women’s 1500m. She made her move with 400 metres to go. Afterwards, she was honest about the challenge of indoor racing and the learning that comes with it.
“I am just proud to add another medal to my collection. If there is a race for medals anywhere in the world, I will be there. I made my move with 400m to go and I was not sure if it would be enough. I am still learning these things. Outdoors and indoors are two different sports for me, indoors you have to be tactically more aware, you cannot get away with tactical errors. I am very happy for Nadia for winning her first world title, she has won silvers and bronzes before, and she deserved this. I am doing the double here, so now it is about getting some sleep and going through the whole routine again.”
Jessica will go again in the 1500m Finals on Day 3.
In the men’s pole vault, Kurtis Marschall cleared six metres on the first attempt and walked away with bronze in a final that pushed the event to another level. Three athletes over six metres made it one of the strongest indoor finals in recent memory, and Marschall was right in it.
“It was an incredible feeling to be part of such a historical World Indoor Championships final where three pole vaulters cleared six metres or more. It’s what you have got to do to get a medal in this day and age. It’s absolutely insane. The battle between Mondo and Manolo was incredible. I’m just stoked to be on the podium with them. Clearing six metres at my first attempt, I had a little bit of love bar and got a little bit lucky. So I am very grateful to clear six metres again for the second time this season. I predict a massive outdoor season in our event. Manolo is making us believe that we can jump these heights.”
On the track, New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs finished 10th in the world in the 60m Semi-Finals, another solid performance on the global stage.
The 800m brought more to look forward to, with Australia’s Hayley Kitching and Peter Bol both progressing through to the final. Kitching took control of her semi and backed herself when it counted.
“I cannot believe I did it at my first World Indoors. Coming into the arena today I was like, this is my final. I have to put everything into it. I knew I had the ability to make it into the final but I decided to play my own game, I was going to run my race and see what I could do. I like this season that I have been progressing a lot. After years of training it’s finally starting to pay off. Now I am not going to limit myself in the final. I am going to be mixing it up with the best in the world and I know I can put myself out there and be right with them.”
Bol managed his way through his semi with confidence, controlling the pace and conserving what he could.
“We have been training to be able to change the pace of the race so this one was an easy one. I am actually quite happy with it, as it was an easier race than yesterday’s one. I was a bit tired from yesterday and I was looking for the slower race today, it played to my advantage. I knew what I could expect from today’s race, I went to physiotherapy and I was ready to go. The goal is always to win the gold so I am looking forward to the final.”
There was also a strong moment for the Cook Islands, with Estelle Short running a personal best in the 60m on her indoor debut, finishing just 0.03 outside the national record.
Day three begins at 10:05am local time, which is 7:05pm AEST, 8:05pm AEDT and 10:05am NZDT.