Australia's Nina Kennedy set a new meeting record, area record and world lead as she smashed her personal best with 4.91m in a thrilling pole vault battle with fellow world champion Katie Moon at Zurich's central train station on Wednesday.
Kennedy and Moon slugged it out in a competition full of twists and turns, with the Australian coming out on top after a sensational jump to clear 4.91m for the first time in her career.
It was a victory which was all the more impressive after she survived a brief wobble at 4.76m earlier in the competition, and one which ensures that Kennedy will go into the Diamond League Final in Eugene on September 16-17th as firm favourite to retain her title.
"I am really surprised! And I am so happy. This is all my dreams come true, I love Zurich. Now I will fly home to Australia before travelling to Eugene where I hope to win the final," she said.
Finland's World Championship bronze medallist Wilma Murto was a surprise casualty early on, no-heighting after three failed attempts at 4.51m. After bronze in Budapest and a first ever Diamond League win in London a few weeks earlier, it was a disappointing performance for the Finnish star, who can at least rest easy in the knowledge that she has already qualified for the Diamond League Final.
Slovenia's Tina Sutej also fell earlier than expected, finishing on 4.51m after never really finding her rhythm at the opening heights. By the time the bar went up to 4.76m, there were just five athletes left in it. Moon and Kennedy led the charge, while Switzerland's Angelica Moser, the USA's Sandi Morris and Britain's Molly Caudery were relying on grit and determination to keep the heat on the world champions.
Yet Kennedy began to wobble at 4.76m, failing her first two attempts as Caudery and Moser both crashed out. With the rest of the field falling away, it looked for a while as if Moon might win the competition outright with just two jumps. Yet Kennedy and Morris are both proven winners, and they both rallied to clear 4.76m at the third attempt to keep the heat on Moon and set up a tense three-way fight as the bar went up to 4.81m.
Kennedy cleared the height first, sailing over her first attempt to put her troubles at the previous height behind her. Moon then clipped the bar with her first jump, but breathed a sigh of relief as it wobbled, teetered and finally decided to stay where it was. Morris passed after failing her first attempt, which took the trio to 4.86m.
By now, Kennedy was on a role. She too brushed the bar at 4.86m, but it stayed put once again and now the pressure was fully on Moon and Morris. Moon was up to it, while Morris bowed out gracefully. Third place was still worth its weight in gold for Morris, as the six points secure her qualification to the Diamond League Final in Eugene.
At 4.91m, Kennedy delivered the jump of her career, setting a new Oceania record, a new meeting record and a new world lead with an astonishing first attempt. Moon knocked the bar off for the first time with her first jump, before passing to take the competition to 4.96m.
But it wasn't to be for the American, as neither woman cleared the final height and Kennedy walked away with a memorable victory.
"I did not get my run dialled in soon enough. It took me a minute to get comfortable with the runway," said Moon, adding that she was not surprised at Kennedy's winning height. "I had a feeling it would go high today."
