THE WOMEN’S VAULT featured the two dominant U.S. performers: Olympic/world champion Katie Moon (née Nageotte), and her former training partner, perennial outdoor silver medalist Sandi Morris. No formchart would predict a top-3 grouping that did not include this pair. Barring surprises, no other entrant had demonstrated their consistency or big-meet toughness.
Thanks to Moon’s Oregon22 victory, there were 4 spots available for Budapest in this event. All U.S. women who had cleared 14-9 (4.50) outdoors this year were entered. The sixth American on the yearly list was AJR claimant Hana Moll, who passed on a U20 entry for this opportunity.
Vaulting began in perfect weather, with light favorable breezes at the women’s backs. Moll negotiated the opening height, 14-3½ (4.36), on her first attempt, and Moon and Morris passed. Four vaulters were eliminated.
At 14-9½ (4.51), Morris went over on her first try to join Moon and Emily Grove in 1st; Moll cleared on her second. Six more were eliminated.
The bar was raised to 15-1½ (4.61), with only 6 remaining. On her first attempt, Moll touched the bar, but it stayed on, equaling her twin Amanda’s national HS record, made indoors in Reno in January.
Morris, Bridget Williams and Moon were successful, and when Grove and Nastassja Campbell failed, the team’s potential members were set.
With an assured visit to Budapest on her calendar, Morris, who was weakened by illness earlier in the day, retired from the competition (“I knew I needed to get it done with as few attempts as possible.”). Moll, not close to clearing, went out at 15-3½ (4.66), while Williams passed.
At 15-5½ (4.71), Williams ran through the pit on her first and kicked the bar off on her next two tries, and was eliminated.
This left Moon on her own, and she then offered a vaulting clinic, with a huge clearance at 15-5½, a narrower one at 15-10 (4.83), and a perfectly executed one at 16-¾ (4.90) — all on first attempts, achieving a world lead at the last height. She subsequently took three attempts at an AR 16-5¼ (5.01), but none were close.
Moon, who is coached in Georgia by Brad Walker, was forced to compete utilizing replacement poles that she had never previously wielded, because her own sticks were stuck in transit from Europe.
“Today I really felt like myself, ” she said. “I’m so excited. It’s been a while since I jumped at a 4.90 bar, and I wanted to have that under my belt going into the next competitions. I feel good, and I feel like I’m very capable of the American Record.”
WOMEN’S VAULT RESULTS
(July 09)
1. Katie Moon (Nike) 16-¾ (4.90) (WL, AL)
(also 15-10/4.83—out WL, AL; =WL, =AL);
2. Sandi Morris (Puma) 15-1½ (4.61);
3. Hana Moll (NWPV) 15-1½ (4.61) AJR, =HSR (old AJR 15-0/4.57 Moll ’23; =HSR Amanda Moll [WaHS] ’23 (=4, =6 WJ) (also 14-9½/4.51—x, =5 HS; x, =6 AJ);
4. Bridget Williams (unat) 15-1½ (4.61);
5. Emily Grove (unat) 14-9½ (4.51);
6. Nastassja Campbell (Wa) 14-9½ (4.51);
7. Sydney Horn (HiPt) 14-3½ (4.36);
=8. Kristen Leland (unat)14-3½ (4.36);
=8. Gabriela Leon (Puma) 14-3½ (4.36);
=8. Chloe Timberg (Rut) 14-3½ (4.36);
=11. Olivia Gruver (unat) & Olivia Lueking (Ok) 14-3½ (4.36);… nh—Sydney Walter (unat), Rachel Baxter (unat), Kristen Brown (unat), Sophie Gutermuth (unat).
| 14-3½ | 14-9½ | 15-1½ | 15-3½ | 15-5½ | 15-10 | 16-¾ | 16-5¼ | |
| Moll | o | xo | o | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Baxter | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Leon | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Horn | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Morris | ppp | o | o | ppp | — | — | — | — |
| Walter | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Campbell | xo | xxo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lueking | xxo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gruver | xxo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gutermuth | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Leland | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Brown | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grove | xo | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — |
| Williams | xo | xo | o | ppp | xxx | — | — | — |
| Timberg | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Moon | ppp | o | xo | ppp | o | o | o | xxx |
| 4.36 | 4.51 | 4.61 | 4.66 | 4.71 | 4.83 | 4.90 | 5.01 |