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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Elise Beacom

‘It’s bigger than just coach and athlete’: Jess Hull’s family ties bind an Olympic dream

Jessica Hull celebrates finishing third in the women's 1500m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo
Australia's middle-distance running queen Jess Hull has hit a run of form on a world stage since her silver medal at the Paris Olympic Games. Photograph: Eloisa Lopez/Reuters

When Jessica Hull races, she knows exactly when to make her move. And in 2023, Hull made a move that would become career-defining: returning to Australia to be coached by her dad. Now, she is one of the world’s fastest middle-distance runners.

It was a full-circle moment for the 29-year-old. Simon Hull first coached his daughter in her early teens, the difference now being that they write the training together. “He’s like, ‘you’re driving this, and I’m supporting it in every way I can. But these are your goals, these are your dreams,’” Hull says.

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