The only thing left for Nina Kennedy to do was believe.
She had everything else covered. Kennedy was an exceptional pole vaulter, the best in the world in fact. She was fit, finely tuned and surrounded by support.
Kennedy was already a world champion, with a caveat. She had shared her gold medal with American Katie Moon at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, the pair opting against a jump-off in a touching moment of pure sportsmanship.
She still says she has no regrets over that decision, but she was equally clear that should the same situation arise in Paris, she wouldn't be sharing a single thing.
Kennedy also recently conceded that self-doubt played a part in her decision to share that gold. Could she really beat Moon with the stakes so...
