Kennedy Impressive in World Indoor Championships Debut

Nina Kennedy has finished an impressive eighth on World Indoor Championships debut in Birmingham, UK after clearing 4.60m.

Up against a crack field of the world’s best pole vaulting talent, Kennedy continued her fine form clearing three heights to record her best ever competition finish at a major event.

With the Commonwealth Games pole vault final (April 13) just over a month away, Kennedy was third ranked of the eligible Commonwealth representatives, with New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney (4.75m) and Canada’s Alysha Newman (4.70m) finishing fourth and sixth overall.

Adding further interest ahead of that contest is the fact that Kennedy won her national title last month at the Gold Coast competition venue of Carrara Stadium, where the visiting McCartney was unable to clear a height in outdoor conditions.

McCartney will deservedly start as competition favourite on the Gold Coast, but Kennedy will take a lot of confidence from having jumped well, under pressure within the Commonwealth venue.

The 20 year-old Perth product entered competition in Birmingham at 4.35m and missed her opening attempt. She cleared at the second jump and then again required two attempts at her next height of 4.50m.

Having regularly cleared 4.60m this season, Kennedy again demonstrated that she has that height in her skills-bag and made the clearance at the first time of asking.

With the bar raised to 4.70m, Kennedy exited competition with three misses, but following an equally impressive showing at her earlier competition meet in France, she will return home in the best form of her life.

The World Indoor title was claimed by American Sandi Morris who broke the competition record in clearing 4.95m for victory.

Authorised Neutral Athlete Anzhelika Sidorova was second at 4.90m, whilst Greek pole vault legend Katerina Stefandi was third on 4.80m, with the Indoor crown the only major medal missing from her impressive collection.