Moon defends pole vault title on Day 5 at World Athletics Championships

BUDAPEST – Sharing gold in the women's pole vault with her Australian rival, Katie Moon defended her title on the fifth day of the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Center to help raise Team USATF's medal count to 14, seven of them gold. The U.S. also leads the team points standings with 142, 89 ahead of Kenya, the next highest nation.
 
Reminiscent of the Tokyo Olympics men's high jump competition where Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi agreed to share the gold, reigning Olympic and world champion Moon and Nina Kennedy both cleared 4.90/16-0.75 on third attempts before missing thrice at 4.95/16-2.75. Facing an extended night after a grueling competition, the duo decided to skip the jump-off and stand side-by-side on the top step of the podium.
 
Both women had crucial misses along the way, with Kennedy needing two tries at 4.75 and Moon at 4.80, but as the Australian set national records at the next two heights, Moon stayed in lockstep with her and picked up her second straight gold. Finland's Wilma Murto made 4.80 with no previous misses and took bronze.
 
Three times a silver medalist, Sandi Morris went over 4.65/15-3 on her first vault but couldn't make it happen at 4.75/15-7 and finished seventh. Washington high schooler Hana Moll, who set an American U20 record in the qualifying round, cleared 4.50/14-9 on her first attempt and was ninth, while Bridget Williams needed two tries at that height and placed 12th.
 
With all four medalists from the Olympics and Oregon22 on the track for the men's 400H, it promised to be a compelling battle between world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway, world champion Alison dos Santos of Brazil, two-time silver medalist Rai Benjamin, and last year's bronze medalist, Trevor Bassitt.
 
Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands, running in lane eight outside Warholm and Benjamin, took a very slight lead through 100 and then Benjamin crossed the 200 mark first by .03 but was basically tied with Warholm. Coming off hurdle eight and the final bend, Warholm began to put some breathing room between him and the others, and he pulled away over the last two barriers to win convincingly in 46.89. McMaster outlasted a tiring Benjamin for silver in 47.34, with Benjamin earning bronze in 47.56. Bassitt was sixth in 48.22, just behind dos Santos.
 
Pre-meet favorite Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway was the fastest man in the world coming into the men's 1500 final, but for the second year in a row he was upset by an athlete from Great Britain. Josh Kerr powered past the Norwegian down the homestretch to win in 3:29.38, with Ingebrigtsen second in 3:29.65 and countryman Narve Gilje Nordas taking the bronze in 3:29.68. Yared Nuguse got trapped in the back of the pack early before swinging out and moving up into the top three with two laps remaining. Fourth at the bell, Nuguse found himself in trouble again and couldn't come back into contention, finishing fifth in 3:30.25, the fastest time ever at the World Championships by an American. Cole Hockerfinished very quickly to set a PB in seventh in 3:30.70.
 
Moving up from silver last year, Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic ran a dominant race in the women's 400 and won in a national record 48.76, putting almost a full second between her and silver medalist Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland, who came across the line in 49.57. Sada Williams of Barbados earned bronze in 49.60, while Talitha Diggs was eighth in 51.25.
 
HEATS/QUALIFYING
 
Women's 800
Three of four Team USATF entrants advanced to the semifinal. USATF champion Nia Akins had the fastest time from all seven heats, winning section five by more than half a second in 1:59.19. Starting the defense of her title, reigning Olympic and world champion Athing Mu was in the final heat and made quick work of advancing to the semifinal, beating Jamaica's Natoya Goule-Toppin to the line in 1:59.59. Doha 2019 silver medalist Raevyn Rogersalso moved on with a second-place finish in the second heat in 2:00.06. Only Kaela Edwards was a casualty, finishing eighth in heat four in 2:02.22.
 
Men's Pole Vault
All 13 men who advanced to the final cleared 5.75/18-10.25. Olympic and World Championships silver medalist Chris Nilsen had first-time clearances at four heights in Group A to advance, with Zach McWhorter needing three tries at 5.70/18-8.25 before going over and then making 5.75 on his first attempt to also qualify for the final. Zach Bradford struggled at the first two bars in Group B before making 5.70 the first time, but he was unable to negotiate 5.75 and did not advance.
 
Women's Javelin
Neither of the two U.S. athletes made it through to the final as Maggie Malone had a best of 57.85/189-9 and was 18th overall, and Ariana Ince placed 27th with a best of 54.60/179-1. Australia's Kelsey-Lee Barber, the Oregon22 champion, needed a third-round 59.66/195-9 to grab the 12th and final qualifying spot.
 
Men's Long Jump
Swirling winds bedeviled the jumpers in both flights, but USATF champion Marquis Dendy and Will Williams were able to adjust and nab berths in the final. Dendy fouled his first attempt and then went 7.89/25-10.75 in round two before jumping 8.08/26-6.25 into a 1.3 mps wind on his final attempt to move on as the 10th-best finisher. Williams also fouled his first attempt but spanned 8.13/26-8.25 on his next try to place seventh overall. Jarrion Lawson was not so fortunate, notching a best of 7.96/26-1.5 in round one to end up 16th.
 
Women's 200
All three Americans advanced to the semifinal, two as heat winners. Sha'Carri Richardson, who won the 100 earlier in the week, cruised to a 22.16 to take heat two with the fastest time overall, and Tokyo bronze medalist Gabby Thomas easily won the fifth heat in 22.26, the second-fastest of the morning. The final heat saw Kayla White place third in 22.62 to wrap up a perfect trio of automatic qualifiers. 
 
Men's 200
Team USATF swept the medals at Oregon22 and the pieces are all in place for another stellar showing. With the 100 gold safely in his grasp, Noah Lylesbegan his quest for the sprint double with a smooth 20.05 to win heat two. Last year's silver medalist, Kenny Bednarek, sped to a 20.01 to win the final section, while bronze medalist Erriyon Knightonmade quick work of heat six, going 20.17 to top Olympic champion Andre De Grasse of Canada. Texas Tech's Courtney Lindsey, the NCAA 100 champion, was second in heat five at 20.39 to give the U.S. four men in the semifinal.
 
Women's Hammer
In Group A, 2019 world champion and American record holder DeAnna Price knew when the implement left her hands that she had a big throw on her first attempt, and big it was, flying out to 76.25/250-2 to end her day after one throw with an automatic qualifier. Last year's bronze medalist, Janee' Kassanavoid, earned a finals berth with her third-round 72.70/238-6 in Group B, but gold medalist Brooke Andersen had only one legal throw, a 67.72/222-2 on her only legal attempt, and did not advance. International newcomer Jillian Shippee fouled three times.
 
Women's 5000
Latvian teen Agata Caune took a huge early lead in heat one, going through 3K in 8:54.08 with a 20-second gap to the next runner. She couldn't hold her lead all the way, though, and yielded the front to defending champion Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia and silver medalist Beatrice Chebet of Kenya. Chebet eased past Tsegay in the final 10 meters to win in 14:57.70, with Elise Cranny and Alicia Monsonalso comfortable qualifiers. Cranny was in the back half of the field through the early stages before rallying to take fifth in 15:01.53, and Monson was always in contention, settling for seventh in 15:03.35.
 
The second heat featured world record holder and 1500 champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya and 1500 bronze medalist Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands, along with Natosha Rogers. Hassan uncharacteristically went to the front early and passed 1K in 2:57.31, and Rogers was three seconds behind her. Faster than the first section through 3K, Hassan led at 8:46.54 and Rogers was seventh at 8:48.28. Over the next kilometer the pace picked up and a pack of six women broke away, led by Hassan, with Rogers losing ground and dropping out of qualifying position. Sprinting to the finish, Hassan outleaned Kipyegon to win in 14:32.29. Rogers was ninth in 15:06.58 and missed advancement by one place.
 
Women's Triple Jump
After fouling her first attempt, American outdoor record holder Keturah Orji rebounded with a 14.33/47-0.25 in round two to surpass the auto qualifying standard and garner her third straight World Championships final berth. Oregon22 bronze medalist Tori Franklin, the first American woman to medal in the event at the World Championships, and NCAA champion and indoor American record holder Jasmine Moore eked into the final in 11th and 12th with identical jumps of 14.13/46-4.25. It will be the first World Championships final with three Team USATF representatives.
 
Women's 3000 Steeplechase
Only the top five finishers in each of three heats would qualify for the final, and in heat one Courtney Wayment made sure she was always in a safe spot to advance. Going over the final water jump in a group of four, Wayment eased down to the finish to take fourth in 9:20.60.
 
USATF champion Krissy Gear missed moving on with a seventh-place finish in heat three in 9:30.61. World champion in 2017 and silver medalist in 2019, Emma Coburn was 10th in heat two in 9:41.52 and did not advance. Coburn was hampered by a hamstring strain before the USATF Championships and had not gone over hurdles since that meet.
 
Women's 100H semifinal
Continuing to run in self-proclaimed "attack mode" in semifinal one, American record holder and Olympic silver medalist Keni Harrison hit hurdle nine but wasn't fazed and went on to win in 12.33, the fastest time of all three sections. A dive at the line in the final semi gave 2019 world champion Nia Ali second and surety that she would be in the final. Ali had to make up real estate on Jamaica's Danielle Williams and they came off the final hurdle before Ali's lean gave her a .01 edge over Williams in 12.49. Masai Russell hit the second and third hurdles in semi two and did not finish.
 
A full list of results along with a schedule of events can be found here. 
 
*records subject to usual ratification procedures
 
TEAM USATF MEDAL TOTAL (14)
 
Gold (7)
Ryan Crouser, men's shot put (23.51/77-1.75, championships record)
Mixed 4x400, Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling, Alexis Holmes (3:08.80, world record)
Noah Lyles, men's 100 (9.83, =world lead)
Grant Holloway, men's 110H (12.96)
Sha'Carri Richardson, women's 100 (10.65, championships record)
Laulauga Tausaga-Collins, women's discus (69.48/228-0)
Katie Moon, women's pole vault (4.90/16-0.75 - shared gold)
 
Silver (4)
Anna Hall, women's heptathlon (6,720 points)
Tara Davis-Woodhall, women's long jump (6.91/22-8)
Valarie Allman, women's discus (69.23/227-1)
JuVaughn Harrison, men's high jump (2.36/7-8.75)
 
Bronze (3)
Joe Kovacs, men's shot put (22.12/72-7)
Daniel Roberts, men's 110H (13.09)
Rai Benjamin, men's 400H (47.56)