Illawarra Academy of Sport Graduate and Rio hopeful Madeline Hills (nee Heiner) is confident a fifth place finish at the Rome Diamond League Meet last year shows she can be at the business end of an Olympic final in 2016. The career best run in the 3000-metre steeplechase was part of a huge 2015 season for the born again 29-year-old who only emerged from a self-imposed seven-year hiatus from the sport in 2013 in time to qualify for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Hills backed up her fourth place in Glasgow in 2014 by finishing the year with personal bests in the 1500 metres, 3000metres, 5000 meteres and steeplechase where she became the second fastest Australian of all-time (9.21.56) with her run in Rome. Having just rung in the New Year Hills has had time to reflect on her rapid rise back to the top of the sport. ‘‘2015 was pretty amazing,” Hills said. ‘‘There’s certainly times I can pick where I didn’t get what I wanted but for the most part it everything was great. ‘‘I think you do that at the end of the year when you can really reflect. ‘‘Throughout the year I could run a PB and still find something I didn’t do well but sometimes you do have to step back and realise what you’ve done in that length of time. ‘‘Two years ago I had nothing on the board so you do need to remember how far you’ve come in a short time. ‘‘Rome was incredible and I had some other good runs in Europe in the Netherlands so I’m rapt with it. ‘‘To get to the next bit I’ve got to push to a whole other level so I feel like this year should be a nice step up.” Having already run world qualifying times in the steeplechase and 5000 metres Hills remains Australia’s best chance to reach a final in the middle distance events in Rio With the qualifying times already in the bag Hills can guarantee her spot on the plane to Rio at the Olympic trials in March with a first place finish in her pet events. Using the Kembla Joggers hangover handicap on New Year’s Day as a guide, Hills is confident, in an Olympic year, that she is well in advance of where she was 12 months ago with a Olympic final start the ultimate goal. ‘‘The whole year is planned with being in the [Olympic] final being the scenario,” she said. ‘‘I’d obviously love to be up there in the pointy end of the race but I’ve got to get to the Olympics first. ‘‘I actually did a Kembla Joggers race on the first of January as a bit of a marker. The year before I broke Kerryn McCann’s record by a second and this time I went nearly 40 seconds quicker. It’s a good benchmark to know on January 1 I’m 38 seconds faster than last year.” Hills continued her preparations for a potential Rio Olympics tilt at the Illawarra Track Classic on Saturday January 16th. Hills was the first woman across the line and finished second overall in the mixed 800m open run. Randwick’s Gary Howard was first to finish in 2 minutes 3.65 seconds, with Hills not far behind as she clocked 2:06.13. The time saw the 29-year-old just edge out Sydney University’s Jenny Blundell. “She is a great role model for the younger athletes,” Illawarra Blue Stars secretary Val Loomes said.
