How Faith Kipyegon's fierce rival Jessica Hull's decision to return home to Australia after US stint proved a masterstroke

Jessica Hull may smile by default, but true happiness has been the catalyst for her breakthrough year to become an Olympic silver medalist and world record-holder.

Few athletes would have more allies on the global circuit than the beaming Australian. A softly spoken figure who doubles as a savage competitor, Hull spent seven years living and breathing athletics in the United States, first at the University of Oregon and then as a professional.

Those experiences made her good, Olympic final good, but her 2024 was great. The difference? A move back home to Australia 18 months ago to be closer to family and coached by her dad Simon – a former national junior champion turned tile and bathroom renovator.

“I had got so in the zone in the US that I couldn’t switch off between training sessions. If training didn’t go well, I would sit there and overthink things like being half a second slow on a split and what I needed to do to get better,” Hull told world athletics.

“It was really hard to leave training at the track because running was the reason I was there.

“Once I came home, I noticed I was able to do the track session and just move on because I was around my people and we talk about things outside of the running world.”

The step backwards would eventuate in a leap forward as Hull blazed her way to Olympic 1500m silver in 3:52.56 behind Kenyan world record-holder Faith Kipyegon. Hull also set a 2000m world record of 5:19.70 at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco and moved to fifth on the world 1500m all-time list with 3:50.83 at the Paris Diamond League earlier in the season.