Olivia Miller began writing for RunBlogRun at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Olivia, a journalism student at Emerson College in Boston, is writing a nightly column on a key event from the 11 days in the Stade de France, the track and field stadium for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Olivia is working remotely, as many of us do, and this is her fifth column on the Paris Olympics.
Kennedy and Newman Make History in Women’s Pole Vault, by Olivia Miller
Nina Kennedy has won Australia’s first-ever gold medal in pole vault. And she doesn’t have to share this time!
Her Olympic title comes after her tie for gold at the 2023 World Championships with Katie Moon (USA).
She said that tie fueled her.
“I’ve thought about the Olympic Games every day since Budapest last year when Katie and I shared the gold.”
Kennedy clinched gold with her vault of 4.90m, while Moon came in second with 4.85m. Canada’s Alysha Newman was third.
This starkly contrasted with Kennedy’s last Olympics, where she placed 12th in her qualifier after only clearing 4.40m.
Kennedy reflected on her journey to gold.
“There were times that were really, really hard, but I have learned something from every single moment. I didn’t even make the final in Tokyo. Mental health, physical health, it’s never been a smooth one. I’ve learned, grown, and gained much experience into tonight.”
She isn’t the only one making history.
Alysha Newman, who finished third, set a new national record for Canada with her vault of 4.85m. Her bronze medal marks the first time a Canadian woman medals in the pole vault.
This was a surprising win for Newman, who competed in both Rio and Tokyo but failed to make it to the finals both years.
Her journey to the podium was marked by obstacles, including mental health struggles and a nearly career-ending concussion that she obtained just months before Tokyo.
“I wasn’t happy,” Newman said. “I didn’t like the sport then, which was a struggle. I needed to step away, be happy off the track, so then I learned to love track again and then fix my mental health.”
She explained that this season, she faced another setback: an ankle injury.
“I started late; I was injured at the beginning of the season in May. I just started jumping in June. I knew I was behind (and) I needed to catch up. Tonight, I feel like I finally got where I needed to be.”
The thirty-year-old has no plans to stop any time soon.
“Now I’m hungry for more. Bronze is cute, but silver and gold? I got to get up there.”
