Kurtis Marschall claims back to back Commonwealth Games pole vault gold

Kurtis Marschall has added another chapter to the WAIS pole vault legacy, winning back to back gold at the Commonwealth Games, becoming the fourth man in history to do so.

The 25-year-old was the final jumper to hit the runway, only entering the competition at 5.40m and immediately taking the lead.

Marschall passed at 5.45 and gave the stadium a scare after needing three attempts to clear 5.50, relegating him to second behind Harry Coppell of England. Despite the setback, he stuck to his plan and passed at 5.55m before an easy clearance at 5.60m to take gold with English pair Coppel and Adam Hague unable to clear higher than 5.55m.

While the gold in the bag, Marschall turned his attention to further glory and that of the Games Record, held by former WAIS scholarship holder and pole vault great Steve Hooker.

Following a second vault clearance at 5.70m, he raised the bar to 5.81m, one centimetre clear of Hooker’s 5.80m Record from 2006. While it wasn’t to be, Marschall joined training partner Nina Kennedy to bring both pole vault gold medals back to Perth.

Matt Ramsden finished 10th in the 5000m.