Hills set for Diamond League Doha return

Rio-bound NSWIS runner Madeline Hills will continue her march towards a debut Olympic Games appearance when she takes on an international field over 3000m in the IAAF Diamond League round in Doha, Qatar on Friday. 

Hills, this year’s national champion 3000m steeplechase, who has been selected for the event in Rio alongside fellow Australians Genevieve LaCaze and Victoria Mitchell, will come up against a slew of African stars in Doha including Ethiopians Almaz Ayana and Gelete Burka and Kenyans Mercy Cherono and Viola Kibiwot.

Hills, 28, returns to Doha with fond memories from the corresponding meet in 2015 where she set a personal best of 9:28.41 in the 3000m steeplechase when racing under her maiden name of Madeline Heiner. 

That Doha effort was just one of a series of stellar performances for the qualified pharmacist last year that saw Heiner/Hills better her Doha steeplechase time by almost seven seconds to move to second on the Australian all-time list.  She also became the third fastest Australian ever in the 3000m and sixth fastest over 5000m.

Hills is one of the great NSWIS and Australian athletics success stories after she came back from eight years out of the sport in 2014 to qualify for the Commonwealth Games, where she finished fourth in the steeplechase behind a trio of Kenyans.

In her time away from the track Hills studied for a Bachelor of Pharmacy – Sydney University (2005-2008) then a Masters of International Public Health – University of NSW (2013-2015). 

She will hit the track in Doha at 345am on Saturday (AEST) with all the Diamond League action LIVE in Australia on Eurosport (channel 511 on Foxtel).