Western Australia’s Kurtis Marschall has secured Australia’s first medal of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, soaring to bronze in the Men’s Pole Vault and writing another chapter in the nation’s proud history in the event.
Marschall, coached by Paul Burgess, equalled his personal best of 5.95m to claim third place on countback in one of the greatest competitions ever assembled. Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis once again rewrote the record books, clearing 6.30m for his 14th world record, while Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis was outstanding for silver with a six-metre clearance.
For Marschall, it was a repeat of his bronze from Budapest 2023, but achieved under even greater pressure, as six men took attempts at the six-metre barrier and seven cleared 5.90m, the deepest pole vault final in history.
“Part of the greatest competition ever”
Marschall admitted that while a six-metre clearance would have been the ultimate achievement, the medal was a perfect outcome.
“It would’ve been a crazy night had I jumped six metres. But 5.95 and a bronze medal and the first medal for the team at this Championship, I can’t complain with that. I’m super happy with how I performed,” Marschall said.
The West Australian highlighted the significance of producing a clean sheet through 5.90m:
“Going clean through ninety, I’ve never done that before and that’s what you’ve got to do at the Championships. To put myself in the mix the whole way, to keep the pressure on and keep the foot to the floor and pedal to the metal – like that’s the way you’ve got to go about it at a Championships.”
“I was amongst some of the best guys in the world for the medals. Seven guys cleared 90, which is the most ever. The most guys attempting six metres and the highest jump to get fourth place ever. This generation of pole vaulters is outrageous, it’s ridiculous and to be part of it and mixing it with the big boys I couldn’t be happier.”
Bronze “as good as gold”
Marschall was under no illusions about the value of the medal.
“Bronze is pretty much as good as gold for me. I’ll take that any day of the week. When I was out there one of my competitors, Sondre, asked me if I would rather jump six metres and come fourth, or 5.95 and come third. I’ll take ’95 and third every day of the week.”
The medal was finally confirmed when his close rival Sam Kendricks failed at 5.95m, sealing Marschall’s place on the podium.
“It was a lot of pressure off. I could jump freely,”” Marschall said.
“It was an awesome feeling going out there and jumping against some of the best guys in the world, being in the fight the whole time, tusselling with Sam.
“It was literally down to whether he cleared it ahead of me, or not, to whether I would get the bronze medal or not. When he missed the bar, I hate to say it, but I was stoked for me, but upset for him. I got around him, and he got around me for my last attempt at six metres… we’re all good mates and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Continuing Australia’s pole vault tradition
Marschall’s achievement extends Australia’s remarkable record in the event. The men’s pole vault is now the nation’s most successful event at the World Championships, following Steve Hooker’s gold in 2009, Dmitri Markov’s medals in 1999 (silver) and 2001 (gold), and Marschall’s success.
At 28, Marschall has now stood on two global podiums – and in a golden era for pole vaulting, for him his bronze shines just as bright.
