Australia has a history of producing fantastic field athletes; the jumpers generally lead the way. Five of six medals won on the field at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest were by jumpers.

With representation in the High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump and Men’s Triple Jump, for the first time since Athens 2004, the tradition is set to continue in Paris.

Strong representation in combined events

While there is much to be excited about amongst Australia’s jumping cohort, four athletes across the Decathlon and Heptathlon are ready to demonstrate their prowess over two days of gruelling competition to determine the most versatile athlete in the world. 

Famously winning Australia’s first medal in the decathlon in Tokyo, bronze medallist Ash Moloney returns for his second Games at 24. Although a chronic knee condition has made the past three years challenging, the Queenslander impressed with two 8000+ point decathlons this year and could again be in the mix for a medal if his body holds up and the competition goes to plan. 

Commonwealth Games medallist Daniel Golubovic, who makes his Olympic debut, will fly the flag alongside Moloney. Daniel was named one of four athletics co-captains for Paris. 

Meanwhile, Camryn Newtown-Smith and Tori West were the first Australians to compete in the Heptathlon since Beijing in 2008. Both competed extensively to secure qualification and are competition-ready.

Ready to soar above the stadium 

World Champion and Australian record holder Nina Kennedy is soaring with confidence following recent wins in Monaco and London against her main competition in Paris. Of course, Western Australians will face fierce competition in the Women’s Pole Vault, with five athletes jumping 4.80 metres or higher this year.

Her training partner Kurtis Marschall enters the arena for his third Olympic Games, aiming for his second global medal following his magical bronze at the 2023 World Championships with a clearance of 5.95m. 
Australia’s high jumpers at Paris 2024 also have the credentials to raise the bar and reach the podium.

Olympic silver medallist and reigning world indoor champion Nicola Olyslagers and 2022 world champion Eleanor Patterson made history last year as the first two Australians to share a podium in an individual event at the World Athletics Championships.  

Joining them is reigning national champion Yual Reath, who has soared to heights of 2.30m this year and won multiple World Athletics Continental Tour gold meets. Joel Baden returns for his second Olympic appearance after Rio 2016 and Brandon Starc has the experience of finishing fifth at Tokyo 2020 to shape this campaign.

Jumping the Paris pits

Long jumper Christopher Mitrevski qualified for Paris with an enormous leap of 8.32m at the Australian Athletics Championships this year, and with a swag of eight-metre jumps this year, a final berth is well in sight. Fellow debutant Liam Adcock is also capable of a finals berth and will join Mitrevski to bolster Australia’s chances in the event. Dual Olympian Brooke Buschkuehl gets ready to fly with the goal of landing her third Olympic final.

It’s been 20 years since Australia had representation in the triple jump, with Andrew Murphy now coaching four athletes on the Paris 2024 Olympic Team, the last successful athlete to hop, skip and jump at the pinnacle event. This year, his son Connor Murphy follows his father’s footsteps.

ONES TO WATCH

Australians:
Pole vaulter Nina Kennedy is looking to become the first Australian female to win Olympic gold in the Women’s Pole Vault, and the first countrywoman in her discipline to win gold since Steve Hooker in 2008. 
Friendly foes Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson will go head to head to win the ultimate crown in the Women’s High Jump. 

International:
Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh has gone from strength to strength since claiming bronze in Tokyo, most recently breaking the world record in the Women’s High Jump with a leap of 2.10m.

Up against Nina Kennedy will be American Katie Moon who shared the world title with the Australian last year. The pair won’t have it all their own way. Molly Caudery of Team GB vaulted to a world lead of 4.92m this year, and there are many athletes capable of high 4.80s.

Mondo Duplantis has all but taken gold in the Men’s Pole Vault, with his world record of 6.24m creating a sizeable gap between the Swede and the rest of the world.

SPORT FORMAT

All field events will consist of a qualifying round and a final. Athletes who achieve the set qualification standard during the qualifying rounds of each event will advance to the final. If fewer than 12 reach the qualification standard in any event, the 12 athletes with the best performances in the qualifying round will advance to the final.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

Track and field will be held at Stade de France from 2-10 August, with Ash Moloney and Daniel Golubovic in the Decathlon 100m from 6pm Saturday 2 August (AEST). 

The Men’s and Women’s Marathon will be held on 10 and 11 August. 

Watch live and free on 9 and 9Now.

Sascha Ryner