Nineteen-year-old Claudia Hollingsworth enjoyed her “best ever day” as the breakout track star claimed both a national title and a spot in Australia’s Olympics team within a few hours.
Hollingsworth was one of 14 athletes selected for Australia’s Olympic team, with Chef de Mission Anna Meares on hand in Adelaide to officially punch their ticket to Paris.
The list also included Matt Denny (discus), Michelle Jenneke (hurdles), Jessica Hull (1,500m), Nicola Olyslagers (high jump), Eleanor Patterson (high jump), Peter Bol (800m), Lauren Ryan (5,000m), Abbey Caldwell (800m) and Chris Mitrevski (long jump).
A quartet of race walkers were also selected, headlined by Jemima Montag but also featuring Rebecca Henderson, Kyle Swan and Rhydian Cowley.
This announcement marks the first of three waves of selections for Australia’s leading athletes, with final teams not to be determined until July, just weeks before the Olympics begin.
Hollingsworth provided one of the highlights of the meet with an incredible run to win the women’s 800m final, recording a personal best time of 1:58.40 and letting a dream become reality.
“It’s a dream and a goal for so many people, so it was always in the back of my mind as something I wanted to do,” Hollingsworth said.
“So I thought about it for a little bit, but I didn’t want to have that pressure. So I only really thought of it once I crossed that finish line.
“It’s definitely my best ever day. Having my family and friends and teammates and my coach here, it’s just crazy.
“I’ve sort of hit the pinnacle of what I can do in Australia, so let’s see what I can do overseas.”
Hollingsworth beamed as she stood alongside Tokyo Olympian Hull, whose blistering performance in Saturday’s 1,500m final secured her selection.
“I was standing next to Claudia, and I said ‘I can’t stop smiling’ and she said ‘me neither!’,” Hull said.
“She broke the junior record a few weeks and I was floored, because that junior record was so strong. When she broke it, I sent her a message and said that was phenomenal.”
Hollingsworth hopes the Olympic experience of athletes like Hull and Jenneke will prove invaluable in Paris.
“It’s wild. Already they’ve been so nice, congratulating me and giving me a hug,” Hollingsworth said.
“I look up to them so much, I think they’re such stars. I really aspire to be like them. To know they have the experience, hopefully I can learn a lot off them at these Olympics.”
Hull made the 1,500m final in Tokyo but her recent form suggests she will be aiming for even more in Paris.
For now though, she is still letting today’s accomplishment sink in.
“It’s so special, you don’t realise it’s going to strike you like it did. I was teary, it was like ‘oh my god, I’m going to my second Olympics’.
“It’s what we train for, it’s so special.”
Hollingsworth’s success came before an engrossing battle in the men’s 800m, won by 20-year-old Luke Boyes ahead of Bol.
Olyslagers set a new championship record in the women’s high jump, clearing 2.01m in her best display of the season so far.
Jenneke claimed another 100m hurdle title with a season-best time of 12.88 seconds, ahead of Liz Clay who clocked 13.03.
Torrie Lewis claimed the national 200m title — having sat out the 100m at these championships — with a time of 23.05, while Caleb Law took out the men’s 200m national title with a time of 20.54.
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