- West Australian concludes unforgettable day for Australia
- Secured the nation’s 18th gold medal at the Paris Olympics
- Shared a humorous remark during her post-victory interview
Australian star Nina Kennedy celebrated exuberantly with her team and loved ones after clinching gold in the pole vault at the Paris Olympics on Thursday morning. Right after her triumph, she threw a cheeky comment at a Channel Nine presenter that is likely to have irked him.
The 27-year-old achieved Australia’s most successful day at the Olympics by earning the 18th gold medal for her nation and later spoke with Nine’s Tony Jones right on the track.
While expressing that she felt “really calm” during her challenging contest against American athlete Katie Moon, she ended the interview with a wide grin and the words, “Thanks, Chompers.”
Jones earned the nickname ‘Chompers’ due to his distinctive teeth, which were enhanced over ten years ago.
Known within AFL circles, the Melbourne-based Sunday Footy Show host has a strong dislike for the nickname, as highlighted by a past incident.
The nickname first arose during a Teddy Whitten Legends AFL game in 2009, when footy icon and fellow commentator Garry Lyon remarked on Jones’s impressively white teeth.
In 2016, the late football legend Danny Frawley revealed that Jones had expressed his frustration when players repeatedly used the nickname live on TV. North Melbourne great Drew Petrie took it a step further by calling him “Chompity Chomp Chomp Chomp” during a live broadcast.
“After Drew Petrie did it on Wednesday, Tony Jones went to the producer and claimed he was upset, requesting that they do not text the players anymore with ‘See you later, Chomp,'” Frawley shared.
Nina Kennedy was all smiles as she hit a Channel Nine star with a hilarious two-word jibe after capping Australia’s best ever day at an Olympics
The gold medallist was being interviewed by Nine’s Tony Jones (pictured) when she signed off with, ‘Thanks, Chompers’ – a nickname the Footy Show host is known to hate
Kennedy’s incredible win was Australia’s 18th gold of the Paris Games – the best result the nation has ever had
‘I’m advising every player who appears on the Thursday night Footy Show to give him a hard time during their live interactions because he’s not a fan of it now.’
Just a year after sharing gold with her American rival Katie Moon at the world championships in Budapest, Kennedy achieved her own solo victory.
However, this moment was truly about realizing her own athletic dreams in a sport she began at age 11 in 2008, inspired by watching Steve Hooker secure Australia’s first—and until now, only—Olympic pole vaulting gold.
‘I felt as though everything was thrown at me, even until the final moment with the (malfunctioning) stands, and I must say this, I haven’t come this far just to stop here,’ she expressed.
‘So bring on whatever comes my way because I will handle it.
‘My mindset was that I have come this far despite setbacks, pressures, and everything else.’
The 27-year-old’s triumph capped Australia’s best day of competition at any Olympics ever
‘Just bring it on.’
After an early miss at 4.70m, Kennedy executed flawlessly on her next three heights, clearing 4.80m, 4.85m, and 4.90m on the first attempt.
She didn’t clear her first attempt at 4.95m, but it didn’t matter as her clearance of 4.90m was enough to win gold.
She later learned that this was the 18th gold medal won by Australia at a single Olympics, surpassing the previous record of 17.
Thus, Kennedy made history for her country too.
