Australia’s Kurtis Marschall underlined his status as one of the world’s premier pole vaulters by winning the men’s pole vault title at the Commonwealth Games 2026 with a championship-record clearance of 5.85m.
The 28-year-old cleared the winning height to break the previous Commonwealth Games record and successfully defended the title he had won in Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 becoming a three-time Commonwealth Games champion.
Marschall, already a two-time World Championships medallist, once again delivered on the big stage. His victory in Glasgow adds another major title to a career that has seen him consistently rank among the world’s elite. He won bronze at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene before improving to silver at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, firmly establishing himself as one of the sport’s leading vaulters. He has also represented Australia at multiple Olympic Games and is the Australian national record holder with a best of 6.00m, making him one of the select few athletes to have cleared the six-metre barrier.
Silver went to Menno Vloon, who cleared 5.80m in an impressive competition, while England’s Owen Heard claimed bronze with 5.70m, just one centimetre shy of his personal best set earlier this year.
Heard’s medal marked the biggest international achievement of his career. The 24-year-old produced a composed series of jumps throughout the evening to secure a place on the podium in front of a lively Glasgow crowd.
The men’s pole vault brought the athletics programme to a fitting close, with Marschall’s championship-record performance providing a spectacular finale. His consistency over three successive Commonwealth Games and continued success on the world stage have cemented his place among Australia’s greatest field athletes