Australian pole vault superstar Nina Kennedy has roared to a historic Olympic gold after shading her great rival Katie Moon in a dramatic final.
The 27-year-old and her rivals were forced to wait half an hour when officials underwent repairs just before what proved to be the last attempts.
Kenned, who erupted into a flood of tears in the arms of her team, is now the first Australian woman in history to win a gold medal on the field.
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It is also Australia’s 18th gold in Paris, a new record that surpasses the 17 won in Athens and Tokyo.
“She celebrates with her team, what an unbelievable moment. I’m blown away. I think I was there for her first training session!” Beijing 2008 gold medallist Steve Hooker told Nine.
“You’re a legend!”
Kennedy was the only competitor to make 4.90m with the final ending when Moon missed her only shot at 4.95m.
The rivals shared the world championship gold last year but Kennedy now stands alone at the top.
Kennedy won gold just minutes after Matthew Denny wrapped up bronze in discus, and he was on hand to embrace his teammate.
Denny threw 69.31m to trail Lithuania’s all-star athlete Mykolas Alekna (69.97m) but it was Jamaica’s Roje Stona who won a shock gold when he threw a new Olympic record of 70m.
“The Jamaican has produced a boilover of epic proportions,” Dave Culbert said on Nine.
Denny, who finished fourth in Tokyo three years ago, said it was hard to figure out how he felt about bronze.
“It’s not exactly the result I was looking for but it’s not far off,” he said.
“I’m just so proud of what my team and I have done.
“I know that there’s more there, the small opportunities in life to get stuff like this, to get a medal is amazing.
“For a kid from Allora to come here it’s pretty crazy, I’m just thankful that people always back me.”
