Rose Davies has roared to a landmark track triumph at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, becoming the first woman ever to complete the 5000m and 10,000m double.
The 26-year-old dropped to her knees in joy, barely able to credit she had downed her great friend and mentor Jess Hull after prevailing in a titanic 5000m duel on Friday morning (AEST) at Scotstoun Stadium.
In a glorious finale, the two Newcastle buddies took control of the race in a last-lap dust-up, with Olympic 1500m silver medallist Hull looking poised to strike gold with her superior sprint power off the final bend.
But Davies, who’d been a sensational winner of the 10,000m on the opening day of the athletics program, showed extraordinary resolve – and strength – to kick again and prevail over the final few metres.
‘I can’t believe it. I’m so, so happy. To win in the 10k was a dream and then I knew I had to refocus, and to win in the 5k is just crazy,’ beamed Davies, whose face was wreathed in a smile even as she swept across the line in 14 minutes 44.53 seconds, with Hull second in 14:45.01.
Scottish hope Megan Keith, who’d done the hard yards of front-running over the last couple of laps before the Australians took control, was rewarded with bronze in front of her home fans in 14:49.10.
Rose Davies will leave Glasgow with an unprecedented 5000m and 10,000m double
Rose Davies upstaged Jess Hull to win the Commonwealth Games women’s 5000m final
‘It means the world to me,’ said a euphoric Davies.
‘As a little girl you watch the Commonwealth Games and you see your idols on the screen and you want that to be you. I just can’t believe that I’ve achieved that.’
She was the first Australian winner of the women’s 5000 since Kate Anderson back in the inaugural event in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, a race then dominated by British great Paula Radcliffe and five-straight Kenyan champions.
This time, the African contingent tried to run the legs out of the Australians, especially fearing the finishing kick of Hull, who’d qualified for the women’s mile final earlier in the day.
By the end, though, Hull just didn’t have the gas to prevail. ‘I was already thinking, ‘I wish this was only a mile’,’ reflected the exhausted Hull ruefully.
‘But realising with 150 metres to go that we were going to go one-two was pretty incredible.
‘I don’t know too many people that would’ve said Australia one-two in the 5000 – so for us to do it is very special.’
Good mates Jess Hull and Rose Davies are the pride of Newcastle and Australia
The latest soaring chapter of Australian women’s middle-distance running also included Linden Hall battling home for seventh.
‘So I think it’s incredible to just see the medal rush that we’ve created and hopefully we can have some more,’ said Hull.
Davies reckoned it was a ‘scary’ feeling to have the 29-year-old Hull on her shoulder with 100m left.
‘I was honestly just blacked out and was running as hard as I could. When I crossed the line I was just so, so happy,’ she said.
‘Jess has obviously been a massive inspiration for me. She’s done so much and she’s such a good role model for the sport.
‘To be in a sprint finish with her is crazy. We both train at the same track in Newcastle and I see her week to week.
‘So to have two Newcastle girls gunning for the line in Commonwealth Games and to come first and second is insane.’
