Nina Kennedy has soared to 1 ultimate wonderful triumph of her glittering pole vault season, taking the Diamond League crown in Brussels so as to add to her Olympic gold from Paris.
Whereas the 27-year-old West Australian was finishing her all-conquering 2024 marketing campaign, one other Olympic heroine Jess Hull battled for bronze within the 1,500m ultimate on Saturday’s second day of the ultimate within the Belgian capital.
Following Matt Denny’s discus gold and a silver for prime jumper Nicola Olyslagers on Friday’s opening night time, it meant 4 Australians completed on the rostrum, equalling the nation’s best-ever efficiency within the season-long Diamond League collection.
Each Kennedy and Denny, who the vaulter cited as an inspiration, had been among the many 16 occasion winners rewarded with a $US30,000 ($A45,000) prize.
Delight of place, although, needed to go to Busselton’s Kennedy, who was decided to win her eighth successive competitors and efficiently defend her crown.
“It was in all probability one of many highest-pressure environments I’ve felt,” mentioned Kennedy.
“I might bought seven wins in a row, and I actually felt like the women had been out for blood tonight. I may really feel it.
“It is the Diamond League ultimate for a cause. We have labored our asses off to get right here, so it is the seven finest ladies on the planet proper now they usually made me earn it.”
Having already gained at 4 Diamond League conferences this yr, she grabbed victory with a first-time 4.88m clearance.
She additionally got here shut on her ultimate try to getting over 4.95m as she sought to ship one ultimate, emphatic assertion, however the victory was already within the bag as her rivals, American Sandi Morris, Canadian Alysha Newman and Britain’s Molly Caudery could not go larger than 4.80m.
“It is bizarre. I’ve had the very best, most constant season of my complete life however have not jumped a private finest, so it’s kind of bittersweet,” Kennedy mentioned of her failure to realize a 2024 world-leading mark of 4.95.
“Now I am so able to go residence, I miss Australia a lot.”
Kenyan observe star Religion Kipyegon added the 1,500m Diamond League title to her Olympic gold medal in Paris. (AP: Frederic Sierakowski)
Olympic silver medallist Hull’s bid to take the 1,500m was, predictably, scuppered by the unimaginable Religion Kipyegon.
The 30-year-old Kenyan, who had outpaced Hull in Paris, has not misplaced over the space since 2021, this time clocking three minutes 54.75 seconds, with the Aussie having to accept third (3.56.99) behind Ethiopian world street mile champ Diribe Welteji (3:55.25).
“That caps it off completely,” the 27-year-old Hull mentioned of her implausible season through which she additionally broke the two,000m world file.
“The most effective end in a Diamond League ultimate to cap off a yr that I stored stunning myself in.”
Georgia Griffith completed sixth, clocking a lifetime finest 3:58.40 in her season finale.
Sydney physician Mackenzie Little was fifth within the javelin with a 61.50m effort, behind Japanese Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi, who triumphed with a season’s finest 66.13m effort on the final try.
Probably the most dramatic win of the night time might have been by Kenya’s double Olympic gold medallist Beatrice Chebet, who had no drawback beating her 5,000m opponents however had extra hassle attempting to keep away from crashing right into a photographer who had strayed into lane one on her penultimate lap.
AAP
