Georgia Hulls is on track to make the world championships. Photo / Paul Taylor
Georgia Hulls is on track to make the world championships. Photo / Paul Taylor
Georgia Hulls was part of an impressive clean sweep by New Zealand sprinters at the Australian championships in Sydney.
The Kiwi women claimed the 100m, 200m, 400m and relay titles, a massive vindication for the squad which has emerged under James Mortimer's coaching in Auckland. Led by 100m star ZoeHobbs, it feels as if a golden generation of female speedsters has arrived.
The 22-year-old Hulls, the 200m specialist from Hawke's Bay, is ranked 34th in the world which means she should make the New Zealand team for July's world championships in Oregon, and spoke to the Herald after her recent success.
That was quite a team effort in Sydney…
It hasn't sunk in completely how big that is - to have that much depth across the group. All credit to [Mortimer]. We wouldn't all be here if it wasn't for his work.
Not being a 'next week' athlete, building over a season and the years, and making sure we are healthy as people, not just athletes. We punch above our weight in athletics but sprints don't have a rich history. But there was a time when we didn't have a sculler who did well - someone had to do it first.
Georgia Hulls (left) is part of a golden generation of Kiwi women sprinters. Photo / Photosport
The maths is a minefield, but it seems you are set for the world championships?
The qualification gets quite complicated. The world championships take 56, but New Zealand wants world top 40 or 32, depending on your age and progression. We've interpreted it as top 40 for me.
If you had told me last year that I'd be 34th in the world, I would have been stoked. But now I'm thinking I'm only six away from not going.
You probably won't make the team for the Comm Games which seems hard to fathom from a punter's perspective.
All of us in the sport are kind of like that too, but it's because of the quota spots and our [athletics] team only has room for 18. In an ideal world, I would go to the Comm Games but the world champs aren't a bad consolation prize.
Your family came here from England when you were three…
Dad [Dean] was working in banks in the middle of London and we didn't see him much. Our parents wanted us to grow up seeing them more, having more greenery, more outside, a bit of a safer upbringing. Mum [Rachel] is a teacher - she came over here first to look at a few schools and places. We moved straight to Havelock North.
There is athletic DNA in the family…
My grandmother [Jean Adamson] did pentathlon and 400m and just missed out on going to the Olympics and other big meetings for Britain because you could only send one athlete per event. Her and my granddad are in their 80s and still run and walk, although not as fast as they used to. She's got such a passion for running and sport in general.
They used to spend six months a year in New Zealand. I don't know if my brother and I would have started running without her.
Georgia Hulls (left) on her way to the 200m national title at the 2022 New Zealand track and field championships. Photo / Paul Taylor
Did you have any childhood heroes?
My grandma gave me books by [star British athletes] Paula Radcliffe and Jess Ennis. I read those a lot. Later I looked around and saw people like Zoe Hobbs and Portia Bing.
Who was your first coach?
Dad initially coached me, until the end of high school. He was never an athletics coach - he coached hockey. So, we learnt together. Some parts are easier and some are harder when your dad is your coach.
Do you still need to work?
I study accounting part time at Massey and work at Mainfreight, managing the archives. I need to work - I do like my job and Mainfreight are really good to me. But in an ideal world I wouldn't have to work. I guess it takes away things like a possible recovery day.
What are your main goals?
That's a fluid thing while I'm still young. Getting to the Olympics, and into major finals. Once you get to a final anything can happen.
It would be great if your grandmother could attend one of your big meetings…
That's why I really wanted to go to the Commonwealth Games this year. She never got to them, and it would have been a special experience. It will be really cool for me to complete her story by going to these big competitions.
She wants to send me her old British singlet. She was going to take it to the Commonwealth Games for me - if possible, I will take it to the world championships instead. Then we can say yes, she did make it.
