Joint world champions Katie Moon and Nina Kennedy will do battle over a global title once again in a star-studded women's pole vault competition at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene on Saturday.
For the first time in event history, two athletes shared the women’s pole vault gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Both the United States’ Katie Moon and Australia’s Nina Kennedy jumped 4.90m, then but neither cleared the next height of 4.95m, resulting in their decision to share the gold.
One week following the World Athletics Championships, Moon and Kennedy went head-to-head at the Wanda Diamond League meeting at Weltklasse Zürich, where Kennedy jumped a world-leading 4.91m to take home the Weltklasse Zürich title. With another rematch set for Saturday, September 16th, Kennedy looks to defend her 2022 Diamond League title, while Moon seeks her first-ever Diamond Trophy.
Olympic silver medallist Sandi Morris is also aiming for a first Diamond League title. Morris finished second behind Moon at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field, jumping 4.61m. Earlier this week Morris jumped a season best 4.80m at the the Galà dei Castelli event in Bellinzona, Switzerland. “I’ve rediscovered the beast within,” said Morris via her Instagram.
The Wanda Diamond League Final is the season finale of athletics' premier one-day meeting series. Athletes qualify by earning points at Diamond League meetings throughout the season in their respective disciplines. The 2023 final takes place over two days at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on September 16-17th.
