Nina Kennedy

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For the American pianist and conductor, see Nina Gamble Kennedy.

Nina Kennedy
WK3B0103 pôlsstok dames kennedy.jpg
Kennedy in 2018
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1997-04-05) 5 April 1997 (age 24)
Perth, Western Australia
EducationUniversity of Notre Dame
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Weight60 kg (132 lb)
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportAthletics
Event(s)Pole vault
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)
  • Outdoor: 4.82 m (2021 NR)
  • Indoor: 4.60 m (2018)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Australia
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast Pole Vault

Nina Kennedy (born 5 April 1997)[2] is an Australian athlete who specialises in pole vault.[3] She qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and competed in the Women's pole vault. Her best height was 4.4m which meant that she was placed 12th in her qualifier. Kennedy was eliminated from the pole vault qualifiers in controversial circumstances as officials failed to stop proceedings as rain tumbled down. She was forced to try her third attempt at 4.40m as the rain steadily increased. and in slippery, wet conditions was forced to abandon her next jump.[4]

Early years[]

Kennedy was born in Busselton, three hours south of Perth. Her family moved to Perth and she completed primary school there. When she was 11 years old she joined her first club, Perry Lakes Little Athletics. Kennedy started pole vaulting one year later, after a pole vault coach talent identified her at an athletics meet. In 2012, aged 14, Kennedy was placed second in the senior Australian pole vault championships with a personal best of 4.10m. A year later she set a best of 4.31m and was placing fifth at the IAAF World Youth (U18) Championships. At the 2014 IAAF World Juniors, she vaulted a personal best of 4.40m, just missing a medal and finishing fourth.[5]

Achievements[]

In February 2015 in Perth, Kennedy cleared 4.43m, then 4.50m and finally 4.59m – a world junior record. This qualified her for the 2015 World Championships in Beijing but she failed to clear the opening height in the qualification round.

In 2018, Kennedy raised her personal best to 4.60m and a week later moved to number three Australian all-time with a vault of 4.71m. At the National Championships she vaulted a 4.60m and defeated New Zealand's Olympic bronze medallist Eliza McCartney.[5]

At the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Kennedy won bronze. In early 2020, Kennedy cleared her second-best ever height of 4.61m and was consistent with eight consecutive competitions at 4.70m or higher. She raised the Australian record to 4.82m at the Sydney Track Classic. As of March 2021, Kennedy is ranked 20th in the world in the women's pole vault category.[6]

Competition record[]

Year Competition Venue Position Notes
Representing  Australia
2013 World Youth Championships Donetsk, Ukraine 5th 4.05 m
2014 World Junior Championships Eugene, Oregon, US 4th 4.40 m
2015 World Championships Beijing, China – NM
2016 World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland – NM
2018 World Indoor Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 8th 4.60 m
Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia 3rd 4.60 m
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 22nd (q) 4.40 m

References[]

  1. ^ "Nina Kennedy". gc2018.com. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Commonwealth Games 2018: WA pole vaulter Nina Kennedy bounces back from tough time" Archived 6 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine by Steve Butler, The West Australian, 26 February 2018
  3. ^ "Nina Kennedy". IAAF. 23 August 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  4. ^ "West Aussies eliminated in pole vault controversy". The West Australian. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Nina Kennedy". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  6. ^ "WA vault star's incredible record night". 13 March 2021.

External links[]

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