Kennedy Misses Finals on World Championships Debut

Western Australian Institute of Sport athlete Nina Kennedy has missed the finals of the women’s pole vault at the 2015 IAAF Athletics World Championships in Beijing after missing three attempts at 4.15m.

Kennedy, making her senior world championship debut, entered competition at 4.15m, but was unable to find a way over, registering no height in the Bird’s Nest stadium, the venue of the 2008 Olympic Games’ track and field events.

The 18 year-old, and youngest member of the Australian Flame team, made a name for herself in February of this year, when she cleared a then junior world record mark of 4.59m at the Perth Track Classic.

Kennedy secured her world championships ticket after earning a podium finish at the 2015 Australian Athletics Championships and has spent the past six weeks competing in Europe.

The teenager – who is coached by Alex Parnov – remains one of Australian track and field’s brightest young talents, and will be very much in the selection frame for next year’s Rio Olympic Games.

Fellow Australian pole vaulter and former WAIS scholarship holder Alana Boyd progressed to the finals, clearing 4.55m to earn her spot in the 12 athlete showdown.

Boyd is the reigning Commonwealth Champion, and Australian women’s pole vault national record holder.