Athletics: Bay's Hulls claims 400m title in first year as senior

Georgia Hulls celebrates after winning her 400m title in Christchurch. Photo/Supplied

Hawke's Bay sprinter Georgia Hulls knows the day will come when she has to decide between the 400 and 200 metres.

In the meantime the 19-year-old Hastings Athletics Club member will continue to do well at both. In her first year as a senior Hulls won the open women's 400m title in 55.09s at the national track and field championships in Christchurch on Saturday. The following day she finished second to Taranaki's Zoe Hobbs, who completed the 100-200m double, in the 200m with a time of 23.65s.

"Eventually I will move to the 400. But I will still do both for another couple of summers at least. The speed I get from the 200 helps my 400 and the fitness I get from the 400 helps the 200," Hulls explained.

"While I wasn't unhappy with my 400 time I was looking for a bit more ... it was more of a tactical race," Hulls said.

Her 200m time is the 12th fastest recorded over the distance by a Kiwi. It bettered the New Zealand record of 23.69s posted by Aucklander Andrea Koenen 10 years ago.

It is also faster than what fellow Havelock North High School product Briar Toop, a 1990 New Zealand Commonwealth Games rep, ran the distance in. Hobbs' winning time was 23.22s.

A former New Zealand representative at world under-20 championship level, Hulls, is based in Auckland where she is studying accounting part-time at Albany in Massey. This also allows her to be trained by former New Zealand sprinter James Mortimer.

"It was the right call to move up here. I'm really enjoying it," Hulls said.

On March 21 she will race in the 100m at the Sir Graeme Douglas International Track Challenge in Auckland.