Olympic Champion Kennedy reigns supreme at Zurich Diamond League, Olyslagers and Marschall land on Podium

From Zurich Station to Stadion Letzigrund, Australia’s Olympic stars rolled on in style for the Zurich Diamond League as Olympic champion Nina Kennedy soared to her eighth-consecutive pole vault victory, while high jumper Nicola Olyslagers and pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall also landed on the podium.

Competing yesterday at Zurich’s Central Train Station, Olympic champion Kennedy (WA, Paul Burgess & James Fitzpatrick) toppled the world’s biggest names for the eighth time in a row, adding to her winning streak which started at June’s Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland.

A strong start from the Australian had her rivals under immediate pressure as she set the tone from start to finish, clearing 4.87m on her first attempt to lock away the victory in a rematch of the Olympic podium – finishing ahead of Alysha Newman (CAN) and Katie Moon (USA) who both cleared 4.82m.

“I don’t know if I’m unbeatable. 2024 has been the best season in my career with seven wins. I can never be disappointed in a competition with a win. Yet, I am a bit disappointed,” Kennedy said.

“I wanted to come here and jump 4.95m. Unfortunately I didn’t but I still love Zurich. I am so exhausted because after Paris I flew to Australia to celebrate and see my family and then I came back to Europe.”

Despite citing fatigue, the 27-year-old proceeded to pass her final two attempts at 4.92m and raise the bar to 4.95m – hoping to capitalise on her white-hot form in 2024 as she approaches the Diamond League Final in Brussels where she will look to take down her 4.91m Australian record.

“In 2023 I jumped high, but in 2024 I jumped more consistently. I am maturing as an athlete, I am just finding my rhythm in this sport and I am much younger than the other athletes,” Kennedy said.

In challenging conditions as a storm greeted the main program at Stadion Letzigrund today, Olympic silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers (NSW, Matt Horsnell) posted another podium finish with second place in the Women’s High Jump, finishing behind Olympic champion and world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR).

Keeping a clean sheet to 1.93m before 1.96m proved a bar too high, Olyslagers was pleased to continue her momentum as Mahuchikh secured the win with 1.96m:

“When it rains, the hardest thing a high jumper has to do is change their technique to adapt to the rain, so I was quite good mentally to the 1.93. Then at 1.96, not having that intensity and with the rain and winds now coming into play, it was a little bit harder,” Olyslagers said.

“Overall, I was very happy with how I did. I was trying to write down in my book, I even have a good pen, but with the rain – the ink was going through the page. It made me realise I can’t read my book today because it will get destroyed.”

Olympic bronze medallist Eleanor Patterson (NSW, Alex Stewart) claimed fifth place with a 1.89m clearance.

Kurtis Marschall (WA, Paul Burgess & James Fitzpatrick) added to the podium success with third place in the Men’s Pole Vault, rising up and over 5.72m to finish behind Olympic champion Mondo Duplantis (SWE) and silver medallist Sam Kendricks (USA) who both cleared 5.82m on the wet and cold night in Zurich.

Rounding out the two-day program was Oliver Hoare (NSW, Dathan Ritzenhein) who raced to 13th place over 1500m in a time of 3:37.43, battling through the star-studded affair which was won by Yared Nuguse (USA) in 3:29.21.

The 15^th and final stop of the 2024 Diamond League series will take place in Brussels, Belgium from September 13-14.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted 6/09/2024