Pole vaulter Nina Kennedy (WA, James Fitzpatrick) has had a triumphant return to Diamond League competition, taking out the win in Rabat in Morocco.
It was Kennedy’s first appearance at a Diamond League final after eighteen months, after she had a year off last year because of injury.
Kennedy was the only woman to clear 4.80m to take out the win, a season’s best for the Perth pole vaulter.
It is the third competition for Kennedy this year and three wins, after winning at the Maurie Plant Meet in March, at the Australian Athletic Championships in April.
“I think the girls weren’t expecting me to come out and perform the way I did, but I’ve been training really hard so I’m really happy with how I went tonight,” she said.
“Sometimes travelling back and forth month on end, and it can get really tiring, so it was kind of nice to have a year at home.
“But watching the World Championships at home, it was quite tough but that made me so hungry.
“I haven’t flown in a while, so I had to re-learn all of that and my comp routine, but I’m really glad I’m back.”
Kennedy will next week compete in the Rome Diamond League, before returning to Perth and then heading to Europe for more Diamond League meets and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow..
High jumper Eleanor Patterson had another Diamond League podium, finishing second in the high jump with a clearance of 1.94m.
She has had a busy few weeks, flying home to Australia for two days after the Xiamen Diamond League in China before heading to Rabat.
“I’m satisfied, but not satisfied at the same time,” she said.
“Coming home with a second is always a privilege, and I had a lot of fun out there but I felt like I had much more in me.
“I had a really good couple of attempts at 1.97m, but I keep coming back with 1.94m.
“At the same time I travelled a lot last week, I flew to China where I competed in Xiamen, and then flew back to Australia to pick up a visa for Italy.
“I stayed two days in Australia and then flew 24 hours to get here, so I have a lot of flying in my legs.”
She was beaten by Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who was the only woman to clear 1.97m
Earlier in the night it was a PB for Sarah Billings (VIC, Nic Bideau) in the 800m with a super quick time of 1:57.61
Billings, who has raced at all three Diamond League meets this year, finished 7th in the race
Only Jessica Hull has run faster in the women’s 800m, she holds the Australian record of 1:57.15.
Torrie Lewis (QLD, Laurent Meuwly) came sixth in the 100m with a time of 11.20.
That race was won by Jamaican Tina Clayton with a time of 10.85.
Lewis later backed it up in the 200m, coming sixth with a time of 22.78.
By Luke Dennehy, Australian Athletics
Posted 1/1/2026
