Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy has made a winning return to competition, making it through the Perth Track Classic unscathed in her first event in 18 months.
The 28-year-old was thrilled with her comeback performance in Perth.
Kennedy, off just a half run-up, comfortably cleared heights of 4.07m, 4.17m and 4.27m to set up a head-to-head showdown with Japan’s national champion Misaki Morota.
It was the Australian who came out on top, clearing 4.37m and 4.47m on her first attempts.
It was well short of the 4.90m Kennedy posted in winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but a significant step forward after so long on the sidelines.
Kennedy was set to return from a series of hamstring issues at the World Championships in Tokyo last September, but she had to withdraw after straining a muscle in her leg while training.
The 28-year-old was thrilled with her comeback performance on a hot evening in Perth.
“It was a really fun day, filled with a lot of nerves and a lot of anxiety, but I’m really happy how I approached it,” Kennedy said.
“Off a short run, that was a PB and a clean scorecard, so I’m really proud of myself. I wanted to get the win and that’s what I did.”
WA’s Kurtis Marschall won the men’s pole vault by clearing a height of 5.83m.
