Athletics-Pole vaulter Moon excited about special Tokyo return

By Mitch Phillips

capital of japan -As an Olympic and duplicate domain celestial pole overleap champion - once famously sharing the gold - Katie Moon has seen and done it all, and she said on Friday her preparation is not about to be derailed by a sub-optimal experience on arrival in Tokyo.

Moon detailed her annoyance on social media after being forced to wait hours for her hotel room, got kicked out, and then reinstated on a long first day ahead of the world championships.

Settled and refreshed on Friday, however, the 34-year-old American was in far more positive mood as she looked forward to competing again at the stadium where she won her Olympic gold without any fans watching in 2021.

"It's frustrating, this was not very smooth coming in. I think putting everybody at the same hotel was maybe not fully thought through," Moon told a press conference.

"But I'm in a room now and settled and I'm just excited to be back and to see that stadium filled with people is going to be pretty special, really incredible.

"More than anything, my family will get to be there. Any time I get to compete and they're in the stands, I tend to do better."

Moon is seeking a third successive world title having shared the 2023 gold with Australia's Nina Kennedy, who beat her into silver at last year's Olympics but will be absent from Tokyo because of a leg injury.

In an echo of the men's high jump at the Tokyo Olympics, where Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi shared gold, the two exhausted women did the same, upsetting some observers in the process.

"It was a really incredible experience, one that makes that world championships just very special, very memorable in the grand scheme of my career," she said.

"I've had a lot of people ask, 'would you do it again?' and I don't know. We'd been there for hours. It was very hot, so it might be a similar situation. I don't know, but I don't regret that one bit."

Moon is part of a four-strong U.S. Assault in the event, with three times world silver medallist Sandi Morris and twin sisters Hana and Amanda Moll.

"It's an awesome team. I'm so excited because I really feel like we have the potential to sweep the podium," Moon said.

"Sandi is a seasoned vet and I love watching the twins come up. It's so fun to just watch that happen. When you're young and you're excited to be on a team, some really magical things can happen."

The pole vault is enjoying a rare spell in the sport's limelight, largely due to the extraordinary achievements of Mondo Duplantis, and Moon is more than happy to bask in the reflected glory.

"What he is doing for the sport is incredible," she said.

"Just seeing him get to do even opportunities outside of the sport because of vaulting, it's awesome."

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