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In-form Australian duo Jessica Hull and Nicola Olyslagers have continued their stellar form less than a month out from the world athletics championships with standout displays at the Monaco Diamond League meet.
Hull moved to eighth spot on the alltime list with a flying run in the women's mile while Olyslagers claimed her third Diamond League win of 2023 in the high jump.
Kenyan sensation Faith Kipyegon smashed the world record with an extraordinary run of four minutes 07.64 seconds in the mile, having already bettered records in the 1500m and 5000m earlier this year.
Hull took full advantage of the lightning-quick pace to finish fifth in 4:15.34, slashing almost three seconds off the Australian and Oceania marks.
“That’s the first time I haven’t looked at a clock at all in a race," said Hull.
'I thought I need to treat this like a race in Budapest (at the upcoming world titles), and I’m not going to be looking at the clock in Budapest, I’m going to be focusing on my position.
"So I was just racing in the pack that I was in and came home really strong."
Fellow Australian Abbey Caldwell was ninth in 4:20.51, which counts as a 1500m qualifier for next year's Paris Olympics.
Olyslagers continued her outstanding buildup to the world championships by claiming victory in the high jump with a last-chance clearance at 1.99m.
“I’m just going to trust the process," said the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist.
"I want to do a PB in Budapest, I want to see something I’ve never done before happen. If I can come out with a PB, I know a podium is there."
After she was assured of victory, Olyslagers had another crack at what would have been a new Australian mark of 2.03m.
“The second attempt I was happy with and then the third attempt I was a bit tired with, so that was the whole comp," she said.
"I thought even when I’m tired and fatigued and nothing is going alright, that’s okay. You can still turn it around. It was a good learning curve.”
In her second event back after a long injury layoff, fellow Australian and reigning world champion Eleanor Patterson finished an encouraging fourth with 1.96m.
Australia's other podium finisher in Monaco was two-time Commonwealth champ Kurtis Marschall, who was third in the pole vault with a best clearance of 5.82m.
Brooke Buschkuehl (6.73m) was sixth in the long jump.
The next Diamond League meet is on Sunday (early Monday AEST) in London.
The world championships begin on August 19 in Budapest.