In This Together | Kurtis Marschall's Road to Tokyo

Kurtis Marschall will return to the Australian Olympic Team in Tokyo, stronger, faster and ready to build on his 2016 Rio Olympics debut. At only 19 years of age, Marschall’s first Olympics was something to be celebrated, and now he is ready to go higher thanks to his team. 

Coming off silver and a 5.50m clearance at the 2016 World Junior Championships, Marschall was the only junior to compete in the men’s Pole Vault competition, clearing 5.60m, placing 15th and missing a position in the Olympic Final only on countback.

Now a few years older and with three national titles under his belt, Marschall has enjoyed a strong couple of years of international competition. Combined with an impressive 2020-21 season, Kurtis is edging ever closer to breaking through to the next level.

Heading back to the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games medalist is excited to use all his experience in the green and gold to his advantage. No longer the bright-eyed Olympic debutant, Marshall feels confident he is well placed to maximise his time in Tokyo.

“Going into this Olympics, with all of my previous competitions in my back pocket, I will be wiser for it. It will hold me in better stead and allow me to control more things. Rather than going in to it and losing your mind with nerves.” Marschall said.

“I won’t be thrown as much, but it will still have that massive hype. It is the biggest competition of my career. It’s good pressure.”

In addition to his experience, Kurtis will be relying on the Australian team to keep him motivated to jump higher. Dispelling the fear that athletics is a solitary sport, Marschall is the first to acknowledge you don’t make it to the Olympics by yourself.

“Having the team around me has been so important. It’s been so essential to have the Nina [Kennedy], Angus [Armstrong], Liz [Parnova], WAIS and Athletics West around me to support me through my preparation, it enables me to continue.”

“The Pole Vault squad all know the ups and downs of the sport. So, to have each other and to be able to support each other definitely makes it feel more like a team sport than most people would think. Having that comrade is awesome. There is more to it.”

Adding to the team approach, Marschall has spent the last season helping push squad member Nina Kennedy through some friendly competition.

“It’s funny, Nina and I have a little competition going between ourselves. I give her a 1.10m advantage on me and we’ve been putting a few coffees on the line, little incentives. It’s an added little bit of competition for the team.”

Making an Olympic team is never easy, but in 2021 every athlete has had the added burden of training and competing through a pandemic. While Marschall has been able to maintain his performances throughout the two qualifying periods, he feels the extra year has played to his strengths.

“I feel very fortunate going into the games, we’ve been training the entire way through COVID and have probably had more opportunities being in Australia than most.”

“The last 12 months have helped me solidify my body a little better. I am feeling more confident this year knowing that it’s all coming together at the right time. The body is handling it well. We have the periodisation down packed. I feel like I’ll be hitting my straps right in time for Tokyo.”

Marschall’s consistency and improvement over the last five years mean he will be well placed to progress through to the finals and make his mark once more on the international stage.

“The plan is [to] get my nerves over and done with in the qualifying and then hit it in the finals. It’s going to be jump-by-jump, but the finals is goal number one.”

“In the finals, it’ll be every man for themselves, but I just hope everyone jumps their absolute best and then whatever comes, comes. I am not out for anyone’s throat; I just want to jump my best."

Kurtis Marschall will line up for the qualifying round of the Men’s Pole Vault on Saturday 31^st July from 8:40 am WST.

To watch all the athletics action, head to Channel 7’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics and follow Athletics West and Athletics Australia’s social media channels.

By David Smith, Athletics West

Photo Credit: Casey Sims (Athletics Australia)