Kennedy Launching Learning Curve
WAIS athlete and rising pole vault star Nina Kennedy flies out of Australia this week for Europe to prepare for her maiden start at the IAAF World Championships in August.
Boasting a new personal best of 4.59m, which was a world junior outdoor best when she cleared the height in Perth earlier this year, the 18-year-old is cautiously eager about the opportunities ahead and can’t wait to don the green and gold of Australia as the youngest team member at Beijing 2015.
“I’m both nervous and excited about what’s coming up. I haven’t been away from home for this long ever so that makes me a little apprehensive, but the chance to do what I love while travelling to some amazing events is a huge opportunity that I can’t wait to start,” Kennedy said.
“Of course I want to jump higher than what I did in Perth earlier this year. It was so amazing to clear 4.59. Everything will have to go right for that to happen but realistically I am aiming to learn as much as I can through the experience. That will be better long term and more rewarding than any specific height.”
“I absolutely have aspirations for Beijing 2015, though. I’m a junior so there isn’t a great deal of pressure on me, I just want to do well and get an understanding for what competing at a senior world competition is like.”
Kennedy will compete at the Bauhaus Gala in Mannheim (GER) as soon as this weekend, alongside the national pole vault record holder and Commonwealth champion Alana Boyd and her fellow WAIS training partner Liz Parnov.
Her competition schedule also includes likely starts in Heusden (NED) and Jockgrim (GER), before travelling to Wakayama (JPN) where she will join her Australian Flame teammates for a preparation camp ahead of Worlds.
Liz Parnov has the qualifying mark for the IAAF World Championships in her sights and her training form suggests that she is on track, with improved results in the gym and recent personal bests off a shortened approach at her indoor training base at the WAIS High Performance Service Centre.
“Liz has been doing some great stuff in Perth. I have complete faith that she will jump the qualifier for World Championships and be there alongside me,” Kennedy added.
Coached by WAIS pole vault mentor Alex Parnov, Kennedy completed her Year 12 studies in 2014 and has previous international experience at the 2013 IAAF World Youth Championships and last year’s IAAF World Junior Championships.
She is the reigning Australian junior champion and won silver behind Boyd at the Australian Athletics Championships in Brisbane to confirm her selection for Beijing 2015.
-AthsAus