Olympic pole vault gold medalist Nina Kennedy will miss the World Track and Field Championships that start next week after straining a leg muscle in training.
Kennedy, a 28-year-old Australian, was trying to come back from hamstring surgery in early spring. She last competed in September 2024.
“Even though I’m disappointed, I’m proud of myself for trying to get back and put myself in the best position to jump high at worlds,” was posted on Kennedy’s social media. “I can genuinely say I did everything I could, I gave it a red-hot crack and that in itself is a measure of success. Sport can be brutal, but injuries are just part of the journey, and that’s okay.”
In addition to her Paris Olympic title, Kennedy shared the last world outdoor title in 2023 with American Katie Moon.
Moon, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and 2022 World champion outright, will bid to become the first woman to win three consecutive pole vault golds at worlds.
Moon and Brit Molly Caudery share the world’s top clearance this outdoor season (4.85 meters) among women in the world championships field.
In the earlier winter indoor season, American Amanda Moll cleared 4.91 meters, the world’s best height since June 2024.
