Nina Kennedy named Australia's Commonwealth Games flag-bearer after injury comeback

Nina Kennedy, the reigning Olympic and world champion in pole vault, will lead Australia as its flag-bearer at the upcoming Commonwealth Games. This honor comes as a significant personal triumph, especially after a challenging year marked by a severe hamstring tear and subsequent surgery.

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Whenever you have a major surgery and you're out for the whole season, there's definitely that doubt of, 'Will this get fully better and will I return to my best and better?'

Last year, Kennedy's season was cut short in April due to the injury. The recovery process was arduous, and despite being initially named in the Australian squad for the World Athletics Championships, a subsequent muscle strain dashed her hopes of competing. She had to watch from the sidelines as her rival, Katie Moon, claimed the title they had shared two years prior.

"Whenever you have a major surgery and you're out for the whole season, there's definitely that doubt of, 'Will this get fully better and will I return to my best and better?'" Kennedy shared after accepting the flag-bearer honor. She credits her team, sport psychologist, and unwavering dream for helping her overcome these doubts.

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You have those thoughts, but you put in the work you do the rehab, you listen to your team, speak to your sport psychologist and never stop dreaming.

Kennedy, who has represented Australia for over a decade, has experienced a meteoric rise in the last five years, setting the Australian women's pole vault record an impressive 10 times. While the Brisbane 2032 Olympics might be beyond her reach, the 29-year-old is determined to savor her remaining time in the sport. "Sport can be so fleeting so I've really learned to enjoy every step and this is such a special honor. I'm really going to try and soak this in and make some good memories," she said.

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I'm so proud of myself. Of course there were doubts, but I'm lucky enough to do this as a job and I'm pretty damn good at it. I work my arse off every day. So I'm not surprised but I am really proud of myself.

However, Kennedy anticipates a moment of self-awareness during the opening ceremony. "I'll be thinking 'soak this in, soak this in, soak it in', and then I won't soak it in," she admitted with a laugh. "That's what will happen."

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As athletes we try and get the best out of ourselves, so my mind always goes to, 'What if I don't get to defend my Commonwealth title? What if I don't make it back to the Olympics? What if this hamstring goes again and my career's over and I haven't really soaked up the last few years like I should have?'