As Nina Kennedy, the pole vault world champion, led Australia to its 18th gold medal at the Paris Olympics—marking the nation’s most impressive medal tally to date—she reached new heights. Sprinting towards the uprights and forcefully embedding her pole in the box, the 27-year-old ascended gracefully over the bar, ultimately clearing 4.90m. Unbeknownst to her at that moment, this jump would secure her the gold medal.
This achievement epitomized a remarkable Wednesday for the Australian Olympic team, which marked the most successful single day in its history, capturing four gold medals and two bronze. What better way for the Australians to soar past their previous records and set the stage for the best Olympic performance yet in Paris 2024?
Kennedy made history as the first Australian to win gold in pole vault since Steven Hooker at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and she is the first Australian woman to claim the top spot, surpassing Tatiana Grigorieva’s silver at the Sydney 2000 Games.
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