Kurt Alert | Marschall Locked in for Brisbane Track Classic

Confirming what the numbers suggest, Kurtis Marschall has never been better than this. The back-to-back Commonwealth champion is bound for the Chemist Warehouse Brisbane Track Classic, packing his 5.91m personal best after a month of shadowing world record holder Armand Duplantis.

At his first appearance in the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Summer Series, the dual Olympian is set to raise the bar in the pole vault as he approaches at maximum velocity, competing off the back of indoor success in Europe.

“Seeing all the performances people have been pulling out in Australia on home soil has been sick to watch, I am so keen to get my hands dirty and jump at Brisbane Track Classic and Nationals,” Marschall said.

With results of 5.83m, 5.82m, 5.82m and 5.82m at his first four showings, Marschall returned to Clermont Ferrand, the site of his 5.87m career-best from 2019 to soar over 5.91m – breaking a drought of four-years and one-day.

“It’s a good feeling jumping a personal best after so long, it’s been a rough couple of years but we are back now and the trajectory is up! The reason I went over there was to lock myself into the outdoor competitions closer to the World Championships, and I feel like I ticked off that goal,” Marschall said.

“I got my name back out there on the circuit to let everyone know that I’m not messing around and I am pushing towards the World Championships this year.”

At 25-years-old, the South Australian residing in the West is determined to ensure that 2023 is the year that sees him cement his status at the next level – an intimidating prospect given his substantial resume. Since winning silver at the 2016 World Junior Championships, Marschall has featured at two Olympic Games, two World Championships, two World Indoor Championships and won two Commonwealth Games – now dreaming even bigger on the global scene: 

“The first goal is to make the final [at the World Championships], which is what I was not able to do last year to my disappointment. Hopefully I can clear 5.90m in the final and if you can do that first attempt, you are likely to be in the top-five and in contention for the medals.

“If I can create some consistency leading up to that, learn from indoors and last year, and refine the process a bit – we should be right up there.”

Coached by Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick, Marschall’s prominence on international soil has formed the foundation of a friendship with Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis, who at 23-years-old is the reigning Olympic and World Champion, and the world record holder both indoors and out.

“I did all of my competitions with Mondo, trained with him a bit and just hung out with him in Stockholm. What we realised is how much of a normal and down to earth guy he is, he doesn’t really do anything crazy compared to our training, he is just a generational talent and has been doing it since he was five,” Marschall said.

 “We just chat about golf and pole vault, and a little bit of gossip. I would consider him one of my close friends on the tour and it’s nice to have someone like that to bounce things off.”

Identifying his strength development and speed as the two crucial components that will enable him to leap to the next level, Marschall is adamant that his best is ahead of him as he drives to become the fourth Australian in history to soar over the elusive six-metre mark.

“With my stress fracture in 2019, we weren’t really able to load up my back and legs in the gym much until now. I have only really done a six month block leading into indoors, my speeds have improved from 9.3m/s to consistently above 9.6m/s. Mondo is hitting 10.0m/s, so I am hoping to close the gap on that with a bit more speed in the tank, because my jump is good enough to clear 6.00m,” Marschall said.

Tickets to the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Brisbane Track Classic can be purchased HERE.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 16/3/2022