- Moon, Kennedy share world championship pole vault title

American Katie Moon and Australia’s Nina Kennedy made the decision to share the gold medal in the women’s pole vault at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. This choice mirrored the high jump gold shared by Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi at the Tokyo Olympics. Both Moon and Kennedy cleared 4.90 meters in an intense final that lasted over two hours. Despite missing all three attempts at 4.95 meters, they chose to share the victory rather than participate in a jump-off. Kennedy expressed her excitement, stating that she had exceeded her previous personal best and felt it was a miraculous achievement. Moon, who had won the previous world title and Olympic gold in Tokyo, was initially considered the favorite with her impressive personal and season’s best records. However, Kennedy surprised everyone by surpassing the Australian record and her own personal best. After their three misses, Moon and Kennedy discussed the outcome and embraced each other. The display of sportsmanship and shared victory was praised by Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill. Moon admitted that she had not initially considered sharing gold as a favorable outcome but was now completely satisfied with the result. Both athletes motivated each other throughout the competition, making it an exhausting but rewarding experience. Wilma Murto of Finland won the bronze medal, tying her season’s best. The event captivated the crowd at the National Athletics Centre, with rhythmic clapping accompanying each jump. Kennedy expressed her gratitude for the support from the enthusiastic audience.