Ex-coach of SA pole vault star Kurtis Marschall says missing world championships will not derail Tokyo 2020 Olympics dream
Missing the world championships due to injury need not derail SA pole vault champion Kurtis Marschall’s 2020 Olympics dream, according to the coach who steered him to Commonwealth gold.
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The coach who guided SA pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall to Commonwealth gold says missing the world championships need not derail his Olympic dream.
Happy Valley-raised Marschall withdrew from this week’s showpiece event in Doha due to a back injury, after setting new outdoor and indoor personal bests earlier this year.
Kym Simons, who masterminded Marschall’s triumph on the Gold Coast last April, said the setback was not ideal preparation, just nine months out from the Tokyo Games.
But the long-term athletics mentor backed the precautionary approach.
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“The worst thing you could do is try and rush it,” said Simons, who spent seven years working with Marschall.
“Given it’s a world championships year before an Olympic year, I think they decided that it wasn’t a risk worth taking.
“Vaulters can stir their back up a little bit on any occasion by an incorrect take off.
“The model that Kurtis vaults with doesn’t do that as a common thing.
“He would have that happen a few times when he was working with me, but it was never something that lasted more than a handful of minutes.
“I can’t tell you how severe or otherwise this injury is … to warrant some longer rest period.
“But it was better to play on the safe side with the recovery and make sure he can have a full and proper preparation for the Olympics.”
Marschall, 22, was widely tipped to challenge for a medal in Qatar.
He cleared 5.81m at an invitational event in Perth in February and 5.87m indoors in France 22 days later, but was omitted from the Australian team for the meet.
The injury blow came two months on from his Perth-based coach Alex Parnov being sacked following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
Marschall moved west soon after his Commonwealth success to join the highly-regarded WA Institute of Sport program.
Dual-Commonwealth silver medallist Paul Burgess had taken over as mentor to Marschall and the four other nationally-funded WAIS vaulters.
Simons said Marschall was unlikely to return to competition until early next year.
He predicted his former pupil would bid to regain form in domestic meets, before tackling European-based Diamond League events on the road to Tokyo.
“I know him (Marschall) quite well and he’s a confident young man,” Simons said.
“The last time he was free to jump with no issue, he jumped rather well.
“Given the opportunity to build up gradually back to full competition form, I don’t think it should effect his confidence in vaulting.
“Missing the world championships was probably a good call so he gets the chance to rebuild his confidence in his capability and in his body.
“I think he’ll come back and mix it as well as anyone else.”
The three-time national champion finished seventh at the world championships in London a year later and claimed fourth-place at last year’s world indoor titles.
Marschall declined to comment.
Originally published as Ex-coach of SA pole vault star Kurtis Marschall says missing world championships will not derail Tokyo 2020 Olympics dream