KENNEDY BOUNDS TO BRONZE AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Published Mon 18 Jul 2022
Nina Kennedy has produced the performance of her career to claim her first major international medal in 2022 at the World Athletics Championship in Eugene, Oregon. Clearing a season-best height of 4.80m, Kennedy collected the bronze behind USA representatives Katie Nageotte and Sandi Morris.
A shaky start saw Kennedy miss her first two attempts at 4.45m, but the West Australian proved to the world her mental game is second to none with a clearance on her third attempt. While others faulted, the Australia Record Holder powered through consecutive first attempts at 4.60m, 4.70m and 4.80m to rise into medal contention.
Her personal best and current Australian Record of 4.82m was under threat when the bar was raised to 4.85m. Unfortunately, two misses saw Kennedy pass for one final attempt at 4.90m, before bowing out with the World Championship Bronze Medal.
“Your brain goes to every possibility – it goes to the worst-case scenario which is no-heighting in the final and the best-case scenario which is clearing it, I just stuck to what I know and that’s following my cues and I just cleared it,” Kennedy said.
"When you are at the 4.70, 4.80 heights, your brain is saying, ‘If you clear this on your first attempt you could win a gold medal here.' I cleared 80 on my first attempt and Katie didn’t, but I think Sandi did. When I cleared 80 I thought I might have this but then Sandi responded. It was a great comp and we had so much fun out there.”
"A bronze medal on the world stage is absolutely incredible, so I’m just going to enjoy this for the next few days and few weeks.”
The result is a standout for Australia and is not only the country’s first medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships but is the first Australian women’s jump medal ever at a World Championships. Kennedy’s clearance at 4.80m is also the equal highest ever vault by a female Australian Vaulter at a major international competition.
Kennedy will now switch her attention to the Commonwealth Games set for Birmingham later in August.
Fellow West Australian Declan Tingay headlined on Day 1 with a top 20 finish in the Men’s 20km Road Walk Final. Tingay looked comfortable amongst the world's best with another solid hit out in the Green and Gold in 2022. Replicating his Tokyo 2020 performance, Tingay crossed the line in 17th place with a time of 1:23.28.
While out on the Track, Matthew Ramsden launched his 2022 World Athletics Championships campaign with a run in the Men’s 1500m heats. Running in the third heat, after Stewart McSweyn and Oliver Hoare, Ramsden crossed the line in 3:39.83 in his heat to place 9th and was unable to progress to the final. Ramsden will now turn his attention to the 5000m.
All of the action from the 2022 World Athletics Championships can be seen on SBS on Demand. The 2022 World Athletics Championship Games are being held from Friday 15 July to Sunday 24 July at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.
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By David Smith, Athletics West
Extra Reporting by John Salvado/ AAP & David Tarbotton
Photo Credit Getty Images
