Tokyo— Katie Moon, the formidable American pole vaulter, enters the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 not just as a competitor, but as the favorite poised to dominate the women’s pole vault event. Following the withdrawal of reigning Olympic and world champion Nina Kennedy, the spotlight firmly shifts onto Moon to elevate her legacy on the global stage.
Moon’s trajectory over recent years reads like a story of relentless excellence. Gold medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and double world champion in 2022 and 2023, Moon comes into this championship with a personal best of an astounding 4.95 meters — ranked fifth best in history—and a season’s best clearance of 4.85 meters. Her form this season has been impressive, highlighted by a 4.83m vault achieving the world lead mark at the Born to Run Invite, and another title win at the 2025 Diamond League Final in Zurich, where she soared to 4.82 meters.
On her mindset for Tokyo, Moon once reflected, “Every competition is a new challenge, but I carry the experience and fire of all my past victories. The key is to stay calm, focused, and fly high when it counts most.”
With Kennedy absent, the podium is more open than ever, presenting opportunities to rising stars and seasoned rivals alike. Will Moon maintain her unshakable reign, or will a new challenger vault into the spotlight?
As Tokyo’s Japan National Stadium prepares to welcome the world’s best from September 13 to 21, anticipation swells for a spectacle of grace, power, and precision blown sky-high by Moon and her contenders.
In a sport where centimeters decide destinies, the Tokyo 25 women’s pole vault promises to be a highlight that encapsulates the drama and thrill of world athletics.
Quick facts & stats:
Katie Moon’s Personal Best: 4.95m (16 ft 2¾ in) — fifth-best ever
Seasons Best 2025: 4.85m
Recent Highlights: 2025 Diamond League Final winner (4.82m), USATF Indoor Champion (4.80m)
Previous Major Titles: 2020 Olympic Gold, 2022 & 2023 World Champion
Event dates: 13–21 September 2025 at Japan National Stadium
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