Abbey Caldwell Makes History with Breakthrough Bronze
Abbey Caldwell has made a significant mark in Australian athletics by becoming the second-fastest woman in history over 1,500m after securing a breakthrough bronze medal at the Diamond League meet in Shanghai, China. Her performance was nothing short of remarkable as she shaved three seconds off her previous personal best, finishing the race in 3:56.12. This time placed her behind Ethiopians Birke Haylom (3:55.56) and Tsige Duguma (3:55.71).
Caldwell was the top-performing Australian in the final, outpacing several notable competitors including Olympic silver medallist Jess Hull, who finished sixth, Sarah Billings (eighth), Claudia Hollingsworth (ninth), and Linden Hall (10th). National record holder Hull led at the 1,200m mark, but the race saw a strong finish that saw Haylom and the rest of the top six surpass Australian champion Hollingsworth’s season-leading time of 3:58.09, set in March at the Box Hill Classic.
Reflecting on her performance, Caldwell expressed her excitement about achieving a personal best. “Honestly, I didn’t think even mid-race it would be that good. But to get a PB, I’m absolutely stoked,” she said. The 24-year-old, who previously won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, emphasized her fitness and readiness for competition. “We have the luxury of coming off our domestic season in Australia and I knew I was race-ready. I just needed to put my training into a race and I executed that, so I’m very happy.”
Caldwell also highlighted the significance of her achievement, stating, “To be on the Diamond League podium for the first time is the biggest bonus ever. It’s amazing.” Her success marked the first day of Diamond League competition for 2026, where three Australians made it onto the podium.
Other Notable Performances
Kurtis Marschall, another Australian athlete, claimed a spot on the podium in the men’s pole vault. He secured second place behind Swedish superstar Armand Duplantis, clearing a height of 5.80 metres. Marschall acknowledged the early stage of the season, noting that many athletes did not reach their full potential. “Unfortunately, not many athletes jumped as high as they would have liked today. But it is so early in the season, everyone is grinding really hard,” he said.
Marschall added, “At this competition last year, I only jumped 5.70m, so I’m very happy with the result of 5.80m today. We are still in quite heavy training. As we move forward, we will just lighten the load, freshen up, and start feeling a bit better towards the end of the season.”
In addition to Marschall, Matt Denny also achieved a notable result in the men’s discus. He threw 67.54 metres with his last legitimate effort, securing silver. However, he was surpassed by Slovenia’s Kristjan Čeh, who threw 70.58 metres, becoming the first person to surpass 70 metres at the meet.
Track Events Highlight Strong Competition
On the track, national champion Lachlan Kennedy reached the men’s 100m final, finishing fifth in 10.01 seconds. South African athlete Gift Leotlela took first place with a time of 9.97 seconds. Meanwhile, Torrie Lewis placed ninth in the women’s 200m field, which featured several star athletes. Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson emerged victorious, winning the event in 22.07 seconds.
