Nina Kennedy and the Commonwealth Games have taken a hard, perilous road to Glasgow.
Earlier this month, on the same day she had the fifth-best height in women’s pole vault, Kennedy was called by Australian team chef de mission Petria Thomas and offered the flag bearer role at the Games opening ceremony.
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Kennedy will lead out the team along with para-swimmer star Tim Hodge, who will be their baton bearer on Thursday night (early Friday morning AEST) at Glasgow’s Hydro indoor arena.
Just as the Games nearly folded after Victoria cancelled, so Kennedy had to overcome a year out because of hamstring surgery.
Her Australian-record vault of 4.95m on July 10 at the Monaco Diamond League emphasised the the bad times are over and Kennedy will be one of the biggest names at the Glasgow Games.
“It was almost perfect timing … back, better than ever, is always such a nice feeling,” Kennedy said of the phone call from Thomas and her stunning Monaco result.
“Scotland have really put their best foot forward and they’ve made all the athletes really happy.
“It didn’t matter where the Games were going to be … thank you Scotland.”
The Paris Olympics gold medallist spoke of the deep-seated doubts that she had to overcome during the recovery from her hamstring injury.
“I’m lucky enough to do this as a job. I’m pretty damned good at it and I work my arse off every day, so I’m not surprised, but I’m really proud of myself,” she said.
“My mind always goes to what if I don’t get to defend my Commonwealth title? What if I don’t make it back for the Olympics? What if this hamstring goes again and my career is over?
“I haven’t really soaked up the last few years like I should have. Sport can be so fleeting, so I’ve really learned to enjoy every step.”
So Kennedy was asked what will go through her mind as she leads out the Australian team at the opening ceremony – the 24th athlete to have this honour.
“I will be thinking ‘soak this in, soak this in, soak this in’ – and then I won’t soak it in, probably,” she replied.
Hodge will make history at the opening ceremony, as the first para-athlete to lead out Australia and also the first baton bearer.
Each nation has its own baton for the first time at the Games and Hodge said it is an “incredible privilege” to have the inaugural role.
“Being an integrated program, it’s just a sign that para-sport is definitely starting to push its way up the ladder and show itself on a level footing with able-bodied counterparts,” he said.
Wheelchair racing great Kurt Fearnley was the Australian flag bearer at the 2018 Games closing ceremony.
Kennedy and Hodge were presented at a packed team announcement near the Australian HQ in downtown Glasgow.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn was on stage for the ceremony.
In her speech, Thomas spoke of the “challenging circumstances” around the Games nearly folding when Victoria pulled out and the “rollercoaster ride” heading into Glasgow. .
Kennedy’s bronze at the 2018 Games was her first major international medal. She and Hodge won gold medals at the 2022 Birmingham Games.
King Charles III started the main Scotland baton relay in March last year and it contains the full message he will read at the opening ceremony. The other batons each contain one word from his message.
Hodge is a decorated two-time Commonwealth Games star, winning two silver medals on the Gold Coast and then gold at Birmingham in the S9 100m backstroke, and he also claimed two gold at the Paris Paralympics.
It will be the first time in three Commonwealth Games that he marches at the opening ceremony.