RECORDS IN FREEFALL AS 15YO SOARS
CASSIDY Bradshaw has only just turned 15, but is already one of the best pole vaulters for her age in the world.
The Athletics Chilwell prodigy won gold at the recent Australian All Schools Championships in Cairns, with a leap that broke every Vic Country age record from under-16 level through to open age.
Her 3.91m vault ranks her equal-16th in the world for vaults completed by under-18 athletes this year, according to official IAAF listings.
The Geelong College student is the top Australian on the list for her age, with Germany’s Leni Freyja Wildgrube leading the way with a 4.26m vault recorded in July.
Bradshaw — also a talented sprinter, long jumper and triple jumper — is determined to see how far she can go in pole vaulting, with cracking the 4m mark high in the near future up on her list.
“She’s done a very good job and the exciting thing is she’s still got a lot of improvement,” her dad, Chris, said yesterday.
“She’s still got a fair way to go yet, which is exciting. She’s still very young. It’s cool, it’s exciting.”
Geelong’s pole vaulting community, under the guidance of local coach and athlete Hamish Nelson, shone at the Australian All Schools Championships.
With Bradshaw safely pock- eting the under-16 gold with a personal best, fellow local talent Olivia Gross won gold in the under-18 event with an impressive 3.60m in challenging conditions against strong opposition.
That mark puts her 48th in the world for her age group.
Geelong had 16 athletes compete at the track and field event, returning two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
Liam Mullen took silver in the under-18 long jump with a leap of 7.26m, while Rebecca Waters and Tiana Boras claimed bronze in their respective events.
Waters clocked 10min 07.07sec in the under-18 3000m and Boras jumped 11.09m in the under-14 triple jump.