Nina Kennedy has won a record 18th gold medal for Australia in Paris, soaring to victory in the women’s pole vault as the nation recorded its best ever day at an Olympic Games.
After an early miss at 4.70m, the 27-year-old Kennedy was flawless at her next three heights, going over 4.80m, 4.85 and 4.90m at the first attempt.
She missed her first attempt at 4.95m but it didn’t matter, with 4.90m enough to secure the gold.
It was Australia’s fourth gold medal of a magnificent Wednesday in Paris, lifting the nation’s overall tally to a record 18 golds with four days of competition still to come.
The previous best total haul was 17 golds at the Athens 2004 Games and again three years ago in Tokyo.
‘I’m here, I’m a gold medallist, that is so sick,’ she told Nine.
‘I felt really calm. I came in with a job… I came in with a job, and intention and today I told myself to get to work. “Do your job” and this is the result.’
Kennedy made her Olympic Games intentions very clear from the outset – that she wanted to take the top step on the podium – but embraced her vulnerability.
Nina Kennedy has won gold in the women’s pole vault at the Olympic Games on a day that will go down in Australian sporting history
Kennedy defeated defending Olympic champion Katie Moon in a marathon final
The Australian was beside herself with emotion as she hugged her coach and team (pictured) after her stunning victory
‘You know, I was very open to the media about it, I was very vulnerable,’ she said. ‘I said from the start I wanted to win the gold medal and it’s scary, it’s vulnerable but I did it and I couldn’t be proud of myself and my team.’
Kennedy’s win means Australia have won 18 gold medals at the Paris Games and represents a remarkable comeback story for the 27-year-old.
Sailor Matt Wearn, skateboarder Keegan Palmer, Australia’s four-strong team pursuit track cycling team all saluted before Kennedy’s win on Wednesday.
It pushed Australia’s title total from 14 to 18 in barely six hours, their golden tally now clear of the 17 achieved in Athens and Tokyo.
Two bronze, to walk relay team Jemima Montag and Rhydian Cowley, along with history-making discus thrower Matt Denny, meant Australia has never had a better day at the Games.
Wearn started the parade when he became the first man to defend the Olympic dinghy title, while 21-year-old Palmer made it two-from-two since park skateboarding’s introduction at the Tokyo Games.
Fresh off breaking the world record to qualify for the final, Australia’s cycling quartet of Sam Welsford, Kelland O’Brien, Oliver Bleddyn and Conor Leahy held off their British rivals to add a third gold in barely two hours.
In what she described as ‘the bottom of my whole career’, Kennedy could only finish 12th in Tokyo three years ago as a range of setbacks caught up to her.
Injuries to her groin, hamstring, calf and quadriceps wrecked her preparation for the Olympics – and she was also coming back from two broken bones in her back.
‘I really had to go places I didn’t think that have to go,’ she said, reflecting on her journey.
Champion paddler Jessica Fox (right) cheered Kennedy on as she won her gold medal
‘I had to learn a lot about myself, the way I think, my past and I had to focus on me as a person and focusing on Nina the human has really brought out the best in the athlete.’
Kennedy shared her moment of joy with friends and family in the crowd at the Stade de France, while her fellow Aussie athletes also made the effort to cheer the pole vaulter on.
Among them was champion paddler Jessica Fox, who posted a beaming selfie with Australia’s latest gold medallist on her Instagram page.