Australian pole vault queen Nina Kennedy will not be defending her global crown after withdrawing from the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
The reigning Olympic and world champion announced on Friday (5 September) that she had ‘strained a muscle in my leg’ in training.
“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,” Kennedy wrote in a post on 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.”
The announcement comes just days after she had been given the all-clear for the global showpiece from 13 to 21 September. The 28-year-old Kennedy recently completed intense rehabilitation after she went under the knife five months ago. The surgery to her left hamstring followed a spate of injuries in a period of six months.
“They cut me open,” Kennedy is quoted by The Guardian. “I was on crutches for quite a few weeks, and the fact that I’m rehabbed and back training, and I’m in full force to go to the world champs, is a massive win in itself.”
Kennedy has not been in action since she won the Diamond League series title at the finale in Brussels in September 2024.
Her win in the premier track and field series in the world capped a spectacular season highlighted by a dominant win at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
AloJapan.com