Australian pole vault superstar Nina Kennedy’s comeback year has just got better, breaking the Oceania Area Record, Australian Record and her personal best to win the Monaco Diamond League with a jump of 4.95m.
The win puts Kennedy (WA, James Fitzpatrick) fifth on the all time list, and she now has the highest jump of anyone in the women’s pole vault in five years.
“I know that I am in really good shape and pole vault is so technical, and I just had to put everything all together,” she said after the remarkable jump.
“Monaco is the place to do it, I always jump well here.
“It’s a good runway, an amazing crowd and I am just really happy with how I jumped.”
Kennedy is in red hot form leading into the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, and she believes she has more to give.
“I genuinely believe that I can jump 5 metres, and I know if everything aligns I can do it,” she said.
“I still have a lot of competitions for the rest of the season, that’s my goal.
“Project 5 metres is here.”
Earlier yesterday Kennedy spoke about her resilience after recovering from injuries over the years, including last year when she had a year off with a hamstring injury.
“I would say through those seven years of struggles, I just showed up,” she said.
“That taught me a lot of resilience.
“I’ve learnt that lesson, and I’m going to take that through my career, but also through my life, my friendships and beyond that.
“That’s what is so special about sport, you learn these lessons that are damn hard, and not many other things teach you that.
“I’ve had a lot of fun, always a smile on my face and I guess the belief is always there to never give up.”
Kennedy attempted to jump 5 metres, but in the end it was 4.95m that saw her win another Diamond League event with one the most impressive series of pole vaulting jumps in history.
Right after her huge win, she celebrated with fellow West Australian Kurtis Marschall.
Marschall’s (WA, Declan Carruthers) stellar season continued, with another Diamond League podium finish, finishing third with a jump of 5.85m.
His good friend, world record holder Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis took out the win again with a jump of 6.07, which is a meet record for the Monaco Diamond League.
Daniel Williams (NSW, Andrew Rowlings) finished ninth in the 1000m with a time of 2:16.41 which was good enough to break Cameron Myers U20 Australian record of 2:17.41.
After running at the Eugene Diamond League last week, it was Williams second big race and he couldn’t be happier.
In a remarkable run, Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi broke the world record in the 1000m with a time of 2:11.83.
“I’ve heard a lot about the stadium in Monaco and it was such a great atmosphere,” Williams said.
“Also to be part of a world record race, that takes the cake.”
“It’s an incredible feeling and it feels quite surreal.”
Williams’ focus now turns to the World Athletics U20 Championship in Eugene, USA next month.
In other results for the Australians, Mackenzie Little (NSW, Angus McEntyre) finished fifth in her return to the Diamond League in the women’s javelin with a throw of 57.67.
The javelin was won by rising Chinese star Yan Ziyi, who won easily with a throw of 68.75m.
In the men’s 5000m, Ky Robinson (QLD, Dathan Ritzenhein) finished 11th with a time of 13.26.70
Australia’s Jessica Hull was the pacemaker in the women’s 3000m and she did a fantastic job, with Kenya’s Agnes Jebet Ngetich winning the race with a time of 8:08.95.
By Luke Dennehy, Australian Athletics
Posted 11/7/2026
