Ayris Secures Career-Best Podium Finish at Rabat Diamond League
New Zealand pole vaulter Imogen Ayris achieved a significant career milestone at the Diamond League meeting in Rabat, Morocco, securing her first-ever podium finish in the series. Ayris cleared 4.7 metres to claim second place, signaling a continued rise in form following her bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships in Poland earlier in 2026.
The event was dominated by Australian Nina Kennedy, the reigning Olympic champion. Kennedy, who also holds World Championship and Commonwealth Games titles, finished well clear of the field with a leap of 4.8 metres. Ayris’s silver-medal performance establishes her as a consistent contender on the global circuit, bridging the gap between indoor success and outdoor elite competition and strengthening New Zealand’s representation in a discipline increasingly central to major championship medal tables.
Another New Zealander, Olivia McTaggart, also featured in the women’s pole vault, clearing 4.6 metres to finish tied for fifth place. With three New Zealand athletes in the top tier of an elite international field, the result underlines the depth emerging from the country’s high-performance pathway programmes.
Rabat Performance Summary
| Athlete | Event | Result | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nina Kennedy (AUS) | Pole Vault | 4.8m | 1st |
| Imogen Ayris (NZL) | Pole Vault | 4.7m | 2nd |
| Olivia McTaggart (NZL) | Pole Vault | 4.6m | Tied 5th |
| Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) | 3000m Steeplechase | 7:57.25 | 1st |
| Geordie Beamish (NZL) | 3000m Steeplechase | 8:16.80 | 13th |
| Joe Kovacs (USA) | Shot Put | 22.58m | 1st |
| Tom Walsh (NZL) | Shot Put | 21.24m | 6th |
Veterans Struggle for Form
While the pole vault provided a high point for the New Zealand contingent, other seasoned athletes struggled to match their peak capabilities in Rabat. Geordie Beamish, the 2025 World Champion, finished 13th in the 3000m steeplechase. Beamish recorded a time of 8:16.80, which is more than seven seconds slower than his personal best and well outside the times required to contend for medals at global championships.
The race was a dominant display by home favorite Soufiane El Bakkali, who clocked a world-leading time for the year of 7:57.25. For Beamish, the result suggests a period of adjustment and race-sharp conditioning is required to return to the championship-winning form seen in the previous season, particularly with Olympic and continental selection cycles placing a premium on Diamond League performances.
Similarly, Tom Walsh finished sixth in the men’s shot put with a best distance of 21.24m. He trailed significantly behind American Joe Kovacs, who set a world-leading mark of 22.58m and underlined the standard New Zealand throwers will need to reach to stay in medal contention. Reflecting on his performance, Walsh noted a disconnect between his physical preparation and his execution.
“A little disappointed,” Walsh said. “It’s the best I’ve moved in the comp this year. I’m feeling … like I’ve got a lot of juice in the tank, and, it’s just not going to the wheels at the moment.”
Road to Rome
The Diamond League circuit, operated under the broader governance of the International Olympic Committee, continues in three days at the Rome Diamond League. The upcoming meet will be a critical opportunity for Walsh to seek redemption in the shot put and for the New Zealand pole vault squad to build on the momentum generated in Morocco as national selectors and funding agencies assess form lines ahead of the next championship window.
The Rome event will also mark the international debut of the year for Eliza McCartney, who will join Olivia McTaggart in the women’s pole vault, adding further depth to New Zealand’s presence in the discipline. With ranking points from meets such as Rome feeding into qualification systems overseen by World Athletics, the next stop on the circuit carries implications not only for podium ambitions but also for how national high-performance strategies are calibrated in the months ahead.
