Australian gold medalist Nina Kennedy is baffled by bizarre details about pole vault at World Athletics Championships
- Nina Kennedy says the Budapest number has a strange characteristic
- Was stunned by the heights recorded during the event
- He will compete in the pole vault final on Wednesday evening
Commonwealth Games gold medalist Nina Kennedy has expressed surprise at the format of the pole vault as she chases victory at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
The 26-year-old Aussie was one of only four contestants to make it through the preliminary round without a single miss and was baffled by how high she and her rivals had to jump to progress.
“Technically it felt a little interesting because 4.65 meters is the highest we’ve ever had to jump to get into the final,” Kennedy said.
“These girls jumped personal bests and it was a qualification. It’s fast, it’s hot and there will be big highlights in the final.’
The Australian believes there is a simple but surprising explanation for the occurrence, suggesting the track is ‘downhill’.
Nina Kennedy is surprised by the pole vault track at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest because it runs downhill
The Aussie star was shocked by how high the contestants jumped during the qualifying round
“Looking at it, it kind of tapers off, which made girls jump out of their skin tonight,” she told reporters.
‘If you look in the rules, you can do a tilt. But just look at the track: it’s downhill. Girls run fast.”
Kennedy could hardly have been more impressive in Monday’s sweltering preliminary round in Budapest.
Reigning world and Olympic champion Katie Moon of the United States also came through, where the qualification was 4.65 meters – significantly higher than normal.
In comparison, only five jumpers – including Kennedy – jumped that high in the world final last year, when the qualifying height was only 4.50 meters.
Until last year, the Western Australia underperformed on the big stage.
But she’s a very different athlete now, as evidenced by a resume that includes gold in the Diamond League final and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and bronze in last year’s world titles in Eugene.
“My processes are the same, but the belief I have in myself is very different,” she said.
Kennedy passed the preliminary round in Budapest without a single miss
The 26-year-old (pictured after winning bronze at last year’s World Championships) will compete in the pole vault final on Wednesday evening
“Last year I went to the worlds hoping to do my best and now I come to these worlds with the desire to win.
“It’s no secret that I want to be on that podium and at the top.”
Her change in status is reflected in the different way she treats her competitors.
“They talk to me differently and I talk to them differently and we play some mind games, so that’s part of the sport that I really like,” said Kennedy, whose PR and national record of 4.82 meters was set two years ago. based in Sydney.
“I think they definitely see me as a threat.
“I don’t think they see me as someone who takes the gold, I think they see Katie as someone who takes the gold, she is an Olympic champion and has jumped the highest this season.
“I think they’ll definitely see me in the mix, but it’ll be the one who puts it together perfectly Wednesday night (early Thursday AEST).”