Sprinter Zoe Hobbs makes first global final at World Athletics Indoor Championships, almost medals

Zoe Hobbs in the women's 100m final at the Sydney Track Classic in March. Photo / Getty Images

Originally published by Māori Television

Zoe Hobbs has had a day to remember.

The New Zealand sprint star not only qualified for her first global final but finished just .01 seconds off third place in the showcase women’s 60 metres world indoor final in Glasgow on Sunday morning (NZT), in one of the greatest performances of her career.

“Tonight was awesome. I executed the race, and I was only 0.01 away from a medal, I was that close,” Hobbs told Athletics New Zealand.

The 26-year-old broke her own Oceania record - set earlier this morning in her semifinal - to grab fourth in 7.06s, behind race winner Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia (6.98s - the world’s fastest time this season), Poland’s Ewa Swoboda (7.00s) in second, and Italy’s Zaynab Dosso (7.05s) third.

Zoe Hobbs' fourth-place finish. Photo / World Athletics

“The biggest takeaway was I was able to back this up through the rounds and I got quicker and quicker,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs began the day setting a season’s-best time of 7.15s to finish second in her heat and advance to the semifinals as a top-three finisher.

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Watch Zoe Hobbs (lane 8) in her first global final.

Up against tough competition, Hobbs was out to go one step further than the 2022 world indoor championships, when she exited at the semifinal stage. And she did just that.

“I was probably more nervous for the semifinal because I drew a tough heat, and I knew I had to execute that race in order to progress. Once I was in that final, I felt like I could relax a little more which helped.”

Hobbs set a new personal best and record time for Oceania of 7.09s to qualify third from her semifinal heat and book a place in her first world final.

“I got a good start in the final, but the transition was not so good. I then felt like I was coming home super quick. I only needed another metre to get that medal. It is [a] confidence boost and all good preparation towards the Paris Olympics,” Hobbs said.