By Lori Ewing
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – American pole vaulter Katie Moon defended her decision to share the gold medal with Nina Kennedy of Australia at the World Athletics Championships, telling critics on social media that to continue competing would have been dangerous.
“I would like to help enlighten those that are calling us ‘cowards,’ ‘shameful,’ ‘pathetic,’ etc.,” Moon wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on Friday. “I know you can’t make everyone happy in this world but in an effort to help people understand the sport that I love so much.”
Moon and Kennedy decided to share gold rather than continue with a jump-off for the first time in the competition’s history on Wednesday after they both cleared 4.90 metres but missed on their three attempts at 4.95.
“The pole vault is not an endurance event,” wrote Moon, a two-time world champion and the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist.
“We have a short window of jumps once the fatigue sets in. It not only becomes more difficult but dangerous. The sport has seen everything from athletes just landing funny with minor tweaks to horrific accidents.”
Moon said as the night wore on, her take-off step moved further from the pit, which she explained was not only an indication of her fatigue but increased the danger of the jumps.
“To walk away healthy and with a gold medal while celebrating with my friend that had jumped just as well was a no-brainer,” she wrote.
“Part of the reason we’ve reached the highest level is by listening to our bodies.”
Michael Johnson, an eight-times world champion sprinter, was among those who questioned the decision, posting on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter: “Fans, do you like the shared gold concept? If you answer yes, second question is will you still like it if it becomes more common?”
The shared gold conjured memories of the men’s high jump at the Tokyo Olympics, where Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi shared gold.
“I understand that people want to see a clear winner,” Moon said. “But in this instance, it was without a doubt the right decision, and one that I will never regret. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need a ‘win at all cost’ mindset to have a champion’s mentality.”
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Toby Davis)
