WA-BORN, Fremantle-educated pole vaulter Nina Kennedy won gold in the women’s final at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday night, Perth time. 

The 27-year-old Busselton athlete, who recently graduated from Notre Dame University with a degree in Behavioural Science, cleared the 4.90m pole to beat out reigning Olympic champion Katie Moon.

• Notre Dame graduate and Olympic gold medallist Nina Kennedy.

Kennedy’s jump took Australia’s gold medal tally to 18, making the Paris games the country’s most successful Olympics. 

The Herald contacted Kennedy’s management earlier this week, but their enthusiastic offer to set up an interview must have been put on the back burner after her win – we haven’t heard back since then.

Former Applecross Senior High School student Oliver Bleddyn also won gold on Wednesday night in the men’s team pursuit cycling, alongside fellow Western Australians Conor Leahy and Sam Welsford, and Victorian-born Kelland O’Brien.

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER