Western Australia’s Kurtis Marschall has won Australia’s first medal of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, soaring to bronze in the Men’s Pole Vault for the second global medal of his career.
Marschall (WA, Paul Burgess) cleared 5.95m to equal his personal best and secure him third place on countback, behind athletics great Mondo Duplantis (SWE) who broke his 14th world record with a 6.30m clearance, and Emmanouil Karalis (GRE) who cleared 6.00m.
The 28-year-old from Perth replicated the height and bronze medal that he achieved at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, and this time under intense pressure during an unforgettable competition with six men attempting the elusive six-metre barrier.
Marschall was thrilled with his bronze medal, and only a six metre clearance could have topped it. But being part of the greatest competition ever is something he is very proud of:
“It would’ve been a crazy night had I jumped six metres. But 595 and a bronze medal and the first medal for the team at this Championship, I can’t complain with that. I’m super happy with how I performed,” Marschall said.
“Going clean through ninety (5.90m), I’ve never done that before and that’s what you’ve got to do at the Championships. To put myself in the mix the whole way, to keep the pressure on and keep the foot to the floor and pedal to the metal. Like that’s the way you’ve got to go about it at a Championships.
“I was amongst some of the best guys in the world for the medals. Seven guys cleared 90, which is the most ever. The most guys attempting six metres and the highest jump to get fourth place ever. This generation of pole vaulters is outrageous, it’s ridiculous and to be part of it and mixing it with the big boys I couldn’t be happier.”
The Men’s Pole Vault is Australia’s most successful event at the World Championships, with Marschall’s two bronze medals following Steve Hooker’s gold in 2009, Dmitri Markov’s gold in 2001 and Markov’s silver in 1999.
Sarah Carli (NSW, Abbie Taddeo) raced well and fought hard to the line to secure her place in the semi-finals of the Women’s 400m Hurdles. The 31-year-old placed fifth in her heat with a time of 55.24 seconds, but giving it everything to the line meant she secured a non-automatic qualifying place.
Carli’s performance was slower than her personal best of 54.29 seconds when she won Nationals in April but it is much quicker than she ran in the heats at the Paris Olympics to progress to the semi-finals. The dual Olympian was thrilled to progress and has nothing to lose in the semi-finals on Wednesday evening.
“I was very stressed. I know what it’s like not to have a ‘Q’ next to your name, and there was no ‘Q’ next to mine, but I walked through to post event and found out I had a little ‘q’, so I’m through to the semi-finals which I’m very relieved about.”
Alanah Yukich (WA, Rose Monday) couldn’t reproduce her form from earlier in the season and was unable to qualify for the semis. The 27-year-old Olympian was eighth (56.68s) in a brutal heat won by Dutch favourite Femke Bol. Her season best of 55.04 would have seen her progress.
In the men’s long jump qualification, Liam Adcock (QLD) and Chris Mitrevski (VIC, Alex Stewart) were unable to qualify for the World Championship Final.
Adcock cleared 7.94 metres on his third attempt, which was four centimetres short of what was required for the 12-man final. Mitrevski’s best was 7.83m from his second jump before fouling his final attempt.
Liam who was third in the Diamond League Final and ranked fifth in the world coming into the Championships, was unable to finish his season on a high.
“It’s been a good year for me but tonight I wanted more than what I did. It’s a bit disappointing to not be able to find my form today. When I jumped my best, I’m just having fun and enjoying it but tonight, maybe I took it too seriously,” Adcock said.
“I felt like I deserve a spot in the final with the ability I’ve got and what I’ve shown this year, and to not be able to achieve that is very disappointing.”
Mitrevski was looking for redemption at this global event, having carried an injury into the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It is doubly disappointing for the pair as they both narrowly missed qualifying for the final back in 2023.
Tim Vincent (VIC, Jackson Elliott) and Liam Boudin (QLD, Collis Birmingham) have not only completed their first marathons wearing the green and gold, in punishing hot and humid conditions in Tokyo, but they have also been part of one of the most amazing marathons in history.
What began with a bizarre false start and all 96 athletes restarting, to three runners entering the Stadium together in a 350 metre sprint for the line. And after 42.2 kilometres, the gold medal was decided by a photo-finish with Felix Simbu from Tanzania getting the gold from Amanuel Petros (GER) both recording 2:09.48.
The Australians found the false start amusing but were not in the Stadium for the sprint finish. They raced conservatively throughout but worked through the field, even when both found the final kilometres very challenging – Vincent was 44th in a season best 2:20.12 and Boudin was 57th in 2:24.39. At halfway point, they were together in 1:09.09 and by 35km Vincent was a minute ahead of his teammate.
A duo of Cara Feain-Ryan (QLD, Ben Norton) and Amy Cashin (VIC, Sean Cleary) braved the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase heats with drama unfolding in their respective heats.
After battling injury throughout the season, Cashin fought her way to 11th place in 9:50.53. While eight seconds off her personal best, the US-based runner conceded she was startled and looked to stop mid-race when seeing training partner Sarah Tait (GBR) fall to the ground at the first water jump. Feain-Ryan finished 10th in Heat 3 in 9:42.62, but was tripped from behind with 1100m to race. While an appeal was lodged, it was unsuccessful in progressing her to the final.
Day Four of the World Athletics Championships continues from 8.35pm AEST, with the only session taking place in the evening. Viewers can watch live and free on SBS and the Nine Network.
By Sascha Ryner and Andrew Reid, Australian Athletics
Posted: 16/9/2025
