Nina Kennedy Breaks Record with 4.95m Pole Vault in Monaco
Olympic gold medalist Nina Kennedy soared to a new Australian record of 4.95 meters in Monaco, just months after a devastating injury nearly ended her season. The world's best pole vaulter is now closing in on her dream of clearing five meters.
After tearing her hamstring four times last year and missing every competition in 2025, Olympic champion Nina Kennedy just vaulted higher than she ever has in her life.
The Australian pole vaulter cleared 4.95 meters at the Monaco Diamond League on Saturday, shattering her national record by four centimeters. She didn't just win. She demolished the field by 23 centimeters, recording the highest jump in the world this year.
"I genuinely believe that I can jump 5m, and I know if everything aligns I can do it," Kennedy said after her victory. "Project 5m is here."
The West Australian's journey back to this moment was brutal. She tore her left hamstring three separate times in just six weeks last year. After surgery, she crammed four months of rehab into six weeks and prepared to compete at the world championships in Tokyo.
Then her hamstring tore again in one of her final training sessions before departure. "Sport can be brutal," she said at the time.
But Kennedy, who calls herself full of "mongrel," showed up anyway. Seven competitions into her comeback, she's now equal fifth on the all-time pole vault list.
Why This Inspires
Kennedy's record represents more than athletic excellence. It's a masterclass in resilience that she says will shape her entire life beyond sport.
"Through those seven years of struggles, I just showed up," she told reporters at the Monaco press conference. "That taught me a lot of resilience."
She credits those hard lessons, the injuries and mental health challenges, with giving her something rare. The belief to never give up, combined with joy in the journey, has made her not just a champion but someone who faces every hurdle with a smile.
The Monaco crowd witnessed something special. Kennedy has always jumped well on that runway, and Saturday proved why the venue brings out her best.
With several competitions remaining this season, Kennedy isn't satisfied. Five meters has never been just a dream. It's a goal she's actively chasing, one vault at a time.
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This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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