Nina Kennedy’s return to the Diamond League circuit was worth the wait.
The Perth pole vaulter swept to victory in Rabat on Saturday night, clearing 4.80m to claim the win in her first Diamond League appearance in 18 months, and making it three competitions, three wins to start 2026.
Kennedy had been absent from the international stage after spending last year at home managing injury, missing the World Championships in the process. Saturday’s result announced her comeback in no uncertain terms.
“I think the girls weren’t expecting me to come out and perform the way I did, but I’ve been training really hard so I’m really happy with how I went tonight,” Kennedy said.
The 4.80m clearance was a season’s best for the 27-year-old, who had already taken out the Maurie Plant Meet in March and the Australian Athletics Championships in April before making the trip to Morocco.
Kennedy admitted the enforced break carried its own silver lining, even as watching the World Championships from home lit a fire under her.
“Sometimes travelling back and forth month on end, it can get really tiring, so it was kind of nice to have a year at home,” she said. “But watching the World Championships at home, it was quite tough — and that made me so hungry.”
Readjusting to life on the Diamond League circuit took some getting used to. “I haven’t flown in a while, so I had to re-learn all of that and my comp routine. But I’m really glad I’m back.”
Kennedy heads to Rome next weekend before a brief return to Perth, then back to Europe for a run of Diamond League meets ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Patterson Takes Silver After Gruelling Travel Week
Eleanor Patterson added another Diamond League podium to her growing collection, but the Victorian high jumper was left wanting more after silver at 1.94m in Rabat.
Patterson was beaten by Ukrainian world champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the only athlete to clear 1.97m on the night. Patterson had her best attempts at that height but couldn’t convert.
“I’m satisfied, but not satisfied at the same time,” she said. “Coming home with a second is always a privilege, and I had a lot of fun out there — but I felt like I had much more in me.”
The result came at the end of a punishing travel week. After competing at the Xiamen Diamond League in China, Patterson flew back to Australia for just two days to collect a visa for Italy, before making the 24-hour journey to Morocco.
“I flew to China, then flew back to Australia, stayed two days and then flew 24 hours to get here,” she said. “I have a lot of flying in my legs.”
Despite the schedule, Patterson continued her consistent run of Diamond League results. And with fresher legs, the 1.97m bar again looms as firmly within reach.
