ELYSSIA WINS AUSTRALIAN POLE VAULT CHAMPIONSHIP

Elyssia Kenshole has claimed the 2023 Open Women’s Australian Pole Vault Championship with a clearance over 4.20m. In a tightly contested championship, it all came down to Elyssia’s third and final attempt to clear 4.20m. The road to this point had already had its share of drama. after Elyssia entered the competition at 3.80m.

In the qualifying round held on the Thursday, nine of the seventeen entries had all qualified with a clearance over 3.75m. Elyssia cleared this height on her first attempt.

In the final, held on the Saturday, Elyssia entered the competition at 3.80m and then had the pressure build up at seeing five of her rivals clear 3.95m before she was successful on her third attempt.

At the next height, 4.10m, Elyssia was successful on her second attempt and the challenge moved on to 4.20m with three athletes still in the hunt for the Championship. After two attempts, all three were still unsuccessful and it came down to whoever cleared 4.20m would win the Championship. Elyssia won her first Australian Open Championship when she made a clutch effort to clear 4.20m while the two other athletes were unsuccessful.

This achievement by Elyssia should be seen against the backdrop of her long struggle to return to the sport after navicular surgery on both feet. It was exactly a year to the day that Elyssia was allowed to take her first walk following that surgery when she won her first Open Pole Vault Championship.

Before this surgery, Elyssia had finished 4^th in the 2021 Australian Open Championships and first in the 2021 Under 20 Pole Vault Championship.

Elyssia has now qualified for selection in the Athletics Australia European U20 & U23 Tour planned for June that will take in the World Under 20 Track & Field Championships in London.

The other DVAC medal at the Open & Under 20 Track & Field Championships came from Jordan Rudd (T20) in the Men Under 20 Para 1500m. After the setback of being disqualified in the MU20 Para 400m the day before, Jordan displayed great resilience to return to the track and post a significant pb time of 4:59.26. This was the first time Jordan had gone under the 5 minute mark for the metric mile. This effort was given a Baseline score of 75.26. This score gave Jordan the Bronze medal.

Jordan went very close to securing a second Bronze in the MU20 (Para) 800m when he posted another big pb, crossing in 2:25.21. His Baseline score in this event was 75.69.

Jordan finished in 9^th position in the MU2 (Para) Long Jump despite extending his previous best distance from 4.24m to 4.38m.

Jaryd Clifford (T12) took on the might of Australian distance running in the Open Men 5000m (A) division. Jaryd closed out the 12.5 laps in 14:37.29 to finish in 15^th position.

Caden Murray ran in the Open Men (B) race and finished in 15:25.65 to cross in 13^th position.

Keely Boyne lined up in the 100m and 100m Hurdles. Keely was clocked at 12.22 in the 100m and 14.65 in the 100m Hurdles.

2023 AUTRALIAN TRACK & FIELD OPEN & UNDER 20 CHAMPIONSHIPS

100^TH STAGING

QUEENSLAND SPORT & ATHLETICS CENTRE

30/03/2023 to 2/4/2023

DVAC RESULTS:

WOMEN:

100m: Keely Boyne 12.22

100m Hurdles: Keely Boyne 14.65

Pole Vault: Elyssia Kenshole 3.75m (q); 4.20m (1^st)

MEN:

5000m (A): Jaryd Clifford 14:37.29 (15th)

5000m (B): Caden Murray 15:25.65 (13th)

Para

400m: Jordan Rudd (T20) Disq: WPA 17.8

800m: Jordan Rudd (T20) 2:25.21 (75.69) (4^th)

1500m: Jordan Rudd (T20) 4:59.26 (75.26) (3^rd)

Long Jump: Jordan Rudd (T20) 4.38m (57.32) (9^th)

(Above) Elyssia (2nd for Right) & (Below) Jordan Rudd

Baseline Performance

BASELINE provides a simplified way for athletes, administrators and coaches to compare performances in multi-class events across all athletes with an eligible classification.

BASELINE uses a base time/distance/height in each class for each contestable event and measures this as a percentage against the individual athletes performance to generate a percentage score.

Athletics Australia (AA) may change or amend the BASELINE guidelines and associated resources (including base performances) at any time.

BASELINE is now the scoring system both Underage and Open events at the Australian National Championships and the Australian National Cross Country Championships.