Paul Burgess: Vaulting from Elite Athlete to World-Class Coach

From being a 6 meter pole vaulter back in 2005 to coaching the 2024 Olympic gold medallist Nina Kennedy and 2023 World Championships bronze medallist Kurtis Marschall, Paul Burgess has transitioned from elite athlete to coach with huge success, particularly over the past 5 years.

That journey, however, hasn’t been totally straightforward. In this episode, you’ll hear real humility from someone who has clearly stayed curious and driven to help his athletes perform at their best. 

We spoke the technical and physical training behind pole vault, specifically as it relates to Kurtis and Nina --- including the key changes that helped them take their performance to the next level. 

Paul outlined his strong belief in a 'less is more' and 'being specific' approach to training. Additionally, he expressed the importance of being adaptable in competition and how he fosters this mentality when it comes to pole selection, run up distances and more. 

If you’d like to get in touch with Paul regarding his coaching services --- such as mentoring, video analyses, programming, and more --- you can find him on Instagram @polevaulthub