Australian Nina Kennedy and American Katie Moon both won gold medals in the women’s pole vault event at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest (Hungary).
World Athletics Championships 2023: Women’s Pole Vault – Nina Kennedy and Katie Moon shared the gold medals after a tight battle
On the fifth day of the World Athletics Championships 2023 (August 23), Nina Kennedy and Katie Moon battled strongly to end as the joint winners. Both equalled the world league record 4.90 metres mark as both achieved it in their final attempts. Though both went for 4.95m, each of them failed thrice to achieve that mark. Finally, both the top athletes agreed to share the gold medals.
While the Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medallist, the USA athlete Moon, successfully defended her Championship title, Kennedy became the first Australian to win a World Championship gold medal in the women’s pole vault event. In the World Athletics Championships 2022, Kennedy secured a bronze medal for her country.
Meanwhile, after the male athletes Dmitri Markov (2001) and Steve Hooker (2009), Kennedy became the third Australian to win the pole vault event in the World Athletics Championships history.
World Athletics Championships 2023: Women’s Pole Vault – Finland secures first medal in the Budapest Championships
On the other hand, the 25-year-old Finish athlete Wilma Murto equalled her season-best record (4.80m) to secure the bronze medal. Although the Slovenian Tina Šutej also achieved the 4.80m mark, which is a new national record, Murto lonely secured the bronze medal on countback rule. It was the first medal for Finland in the ongoing World Athletics Championships 2023.
World Athletics Championships 2023: Women’s Pole Vault (Final Status/Top10)
Athlete | Country | Marks | Mark | |||||||
4.30 | 4.50 | 4.65 | 4.75 | 4.80 | 4.85 | 4.90 | 4.95 | |||
Nina Kennedy | Australia | – | o | o | xo | o | o | xxo | xxx | 4.90 (=WL) |
Katie Moon | United States | – | o | o | – | xo | o | xxo | xxx | 4.90 (=WL) |
Wilma Murto | Finland | – | o | o | o | o | xxx |
|
| 4.80 (=SB) |
Tina Šutej | Slovenia | o | o | o | xo | o | xxx |
|
| 4.80 (NR) |
Molly Caudery | Great Britain & Northern Ireland | xo | o | o | xxo | x– | xx |
|
| 4.75 (PB) |
Angelica Moser | Switzerland | o | o | xo | xxo | xxx |
|
|
| 4.75 (=PB) |
Sandi Morris | United States | – | o | o | xxx |
|
|
|
| 4.65 |
Robeilys Peinado | Venezuela | o | o | xo | xxx |
|
|
|
| 4.65 (=SB) |
Elisa Molinarolo | Italy | o | o | xxx |
|
|
|
|
| 4.50 |
Hana Moll | United States | o | o | xxx |
|
|
|
|
| 4.50 |
(NOTE: WL = World Leading [Worldwide Season Best]; SB – Season Best; PB – Personal Best; NR = National Record)
What did gold medalists say?
Kennedy felt super excited to secure the gold medal. She said, “I jumped out of my skin tonight. It was super crazy. I felt like the whole stadium was watching every single jump. To win a gold medal, it is just a dream come true. I knew I could get on the podium, but it was a miracle to get the gold. So, I think a miracle happened tonight.”
Meanwhile, Moon also felt satisfied to share the gold medal after a memorable battle. She quoted, “When the final started, I didn't think sharing a gold medal would work for me. But now I am completely satisfied. What a battle it was.”
