Olympic Gold Medallist Nina Kennedy is one of Australia’s most accomplished athletes and among the world’s leading pole vaulters. Following her unforgettable victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Nina has cemented her place as one of Australian sport’s brightest stars and an inspiring role model for audiences of all ages.
Olympic Gold Medallist Nina Kennedy is one of Australia’s most accomplished athletes and among the world’s leading pole vaulters. Following her unforgettable victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Nina has cemented her place as one of Australian sport’s brightest stars and an inspiring role model for audiences of all ages.
Raised in Busselton, Western Australia, Nina discovered her love of athletics through her school sports carnival before joining her first athletics club at just 11 years old. A chance meeting with a pole vault coach the following year set her on a path that would ultimately lead to the top of world athletics.
Nina announced herself on the international stage in 2015 when, at just 17, she earned selection for the Australian team at the World Athletics Championships. That same year, she broke a junior world record and achieved three personal bests in a single competition, marking her as one of the sport’s most exciting emerging talents.
Since then, Nina has built an outstanding career that includes multiple Diamond League victories, Australian national titles, and medals at the highest levels of international competition. She claimed bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast before becoming Commonwealth Champion in Birmingham in 2022. That same season, she added bronze at the World Athletics Championships and secured the prestigious Diamond League title, finishing the year ranked among the world’s very best.
In 2023, Nina reached another career milestone by winning the World Championship title in Budapest. She followed that performance with another Diamond League victory, clearing a personal best and Australian record of 4.91 metres while also setting Oceania indoor and meeting records.
Nina’s crowning achievement came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she captured Olympic gold and further established herself as one of the world’s premier pole vaulters. With her determination, resilience and commitment to excellence, Nina inspires audiences through her story of perseverance, high performance and achieving success on the global stage.
In Conversation with Nina Kennedy
Nina is available for keynote conversations, Q&A sessions and panel discussions for corporate events, schools, sporting organisations and charity functions. Audiences gain an authentic insight into the dedication, resilience and mindset required to perform at the highest level of international sport.
Topics & Themes
The journey to becoming an Olympic Gold Medallist and world-class pole vaulter
Building resilience and overcoming setbacks
The growth and impact of women in sport
Performing under pressure on the world stage
Developing a high-performance mindset
Goal setting, discipline and achieving excellence
