Pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall has become the first Australian male athlete in eight years to win a World Athletics Championships medal, equalling his personal best to claim bronze in Budapest.
Marschall surged into contention with a first-time clearance at 5.95 metres on Sunday morning AEST, but came up just short with his three attempts at 6:00m.
It was still good enough for a share of the bronze with American Christopher Nilsen.
Swedish world record holder Armand Duplantis won gold with 6.10m and Ernest John Obiena from the Philippines took the silver with 6:00m.
With the gold medal already in his keeping, Duplantis then had three attempts at 6.23m.
Had he been successful, Duplantis would have bettered his own world record by 1 centimetre.
Marschall, 26, became the first Australian man to claim a spot on the podium since Fabrice Lapierre finished second in the long jump at the Beijing world titles in 2015.
The previous nine medals won by Australians at the world titles were all claimed by female athletes.
Marschall’s bronze was the second part of a double triumph in Budapest for coach Paul Burgess.
His stable also includes Nina Kennedy, who shared the women’s pole vault gold with American Katie Moon earlier in the championships.
Marschall’s bronze was the fourth medal won by Australia in Budapest, equalling the nation’s best medal haul at a world titles.
Australia also claimed four medals in Seville in 1999 and Berlin in 2009.
That tally could well be eclipsed on Monday AEST, with defending champion Eleanor Patterson and 2023 world leader Nicola Olyslagers both legitimate gold-medal chances in the women’s high jump.
