Kurtis Marschall jumps Olympic qualifier at Jandakot Airport Track Classic

Published On: 1 February 2020

In his first major competition back from injury Kurtis Marschall has jumped his way to an Olympic qualifier of 5.80m at the Jandakot Airport Track Classic, part of the Athletics Australia Coles Summer Super Series at the WA Athletics Stadium.

“I couldn’t be happier, it has been such a rough 12 months and to do that tonight is just amazing,” 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Marschall said having missed most of 2019 including the World Championships with injury.

“It was SUCH a long road back (from injury), I started off barely being able to do body weight squats after four weeks of complete sedentary and then gradually building back up to run at 30%, 40%, 50% over the weeks… It really was a long road but it pays off!”

After being the only competitor to clear 5.73m, Marshall elected to set the bar to 5.80m as he looked to obtain the Olympic qualifying height. With misses on his first two attempts it was down to the final jump for Marschall to get the qualifier in the bag.

“I definitely knew I could get over it, but I haven’t jumped that high in a very long time – so I had to really dig into my memory bank and remember how to jump that high and I knew I just had to go full send and do it.”

Marschall wasn’t the only pole vaulting jumping at his best with Angus Armstrong setting a new personal best of 5.63m eclipsing his old mark of 5.55m. Marschall was quick to praise his training partner for pushing him.

“For him to push me like that, as he cleared 5.63m before I did and I was like wow this is the most intense competition I’ve been in in Perth.

“To have boys up my backside like that and pushing me along, it  strives me to achieve my goals, it’s so good to have the comradery we have here.”

In the women’s competition Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Nina Kennedy took the win, clearing 5.50m to continue her return from injury.

Despite having the Olympic qualifier in the bag Marshall will join the rest of the WAIS pole vault squad at the Canberra Track Classic as he continues his preparation, and the others eye Olympic qualifiers of their own.