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SAINT-DENIS, France — At the end of a grueling three-hour pole vault competition in sun-drenched Budapest last August, American Katie Moon and Australian Nina Kennedy made a rash decision that drew a surprising amount of negative feedback.
Exhausted and emotionally drained, they opted to share the World Cup gold rather than compete in a jump-off to determine a definitive winner.
“Leaving healthy and with a gold medal, while celebrating with my friend who jumped just as well, was a no-brainer,” Moon wrote on Instagram in defense of the decision. “Part of the reason we reached the highest level is by listening to our bodies and knowing our limitations. We decided that at this particular moment, sharing the glory was just as good as earning it.”
Nearly a year later, Kennedy and Moon returned to an international stage on Wednesday night for the women’s pole vault final. They arrived in Paris as co-favorites to win gold, with Kennedy, 27, clearing the highest bar of any pole vaulter this year and Moon returning to form after early-season injuries.
At the end of Wednesday night’s competition, Moon and Kennedy were once again locked in a head-to-head battle, with the field falling behind one by one. Kennedy was the first to break 4.90, setting the bar for gold. After a long wait in the men’s 400 meters, Moon hit the bar on her first attempt at 4.90, ran through it on her second attempt, and hit the bar on her third.
And so the women’s pole vault final produced a clear winner this time around, with Kenndey taking gold and Moon silver.
