Katie Moon, future plans
I first met Katie after we transited by means of Abu Dhabi (or someplace!) en path to the Doha Diamond League. On arrival, I hoped my suitcase had made it; Katie and her poles had arrived. Then the meet despatched a mini-bus too brief for poles, which needed to stick out the window! I’ve gotten to know her a bit through the years and all the time appreciated her willingness to speak – and clarify pole vault to me. I had been privileged to be in Tokyo for that Olympic gold, Eugene for that World Championship win, and fairly a couple of different locations.
It’s nice to see Katie Moon in a great place, having fun with her craft and searching ahead to the long run as a result of it was not all the time so. On paper, successful the Olympics in 2021 and the World Championships in 2022 appear like a pinnacle, however there may be one other story: “Completely. It’s humorous, wanting again at 2022, that was by far my hardest yr in each sense, and I didn’t understand how I’d come out on the opposite aspect of that – if I’d nonetheless be pole vaulting. However what I discover is that you simply – in direction of the top of every season, I simply nonetheless love the game. When it goes nicely, it’s simply not as a lot enjoyable; it’s terrible when it doesn’t go as nicely. That’s something you’re employed onerous at that you simply need to go nicely. I’m so glad that I went by means of that. I imply, I hated it for the time being. It was terrible, and I’m certain it was terrible for everybody round me. However that yr, successful that World Championships did extra for my confidence and my psychological well-being than something ever had for me within the sport. Simply realizing that I might win that World Championship with the yr that I had had – on a brief strategy, it lastly instilled this confidence that I’m good at this sport – which sounds ridiculous as a result of I had gained the Olympics”.
In 2024, she competed 10 instances and located that the enjoyable was again: “Once you’re youthful, it is sensible to simply bounce at any and each alternative that presents itself, however I feel at my age, 10 competitions is an effective quantity, however actually yearly it simply relies upon how I’m feeling, how I’m leaping, if I’m feeling good and assured, generally I need extra probabilities to leap at one thing excessive. Typically, I simply need to prepare extra and favor the massive ones, however I positively prefer to compete a bit extra quite than rather less. That’s as a result of I’m very completely different in a contest than in coaching; as a lot as I attempt to replicate that feeling in the identical pole, it’s not the identical. I’m on a lot larger poles in a contest. I’m working a lot sooner, purely with adrenaline, assembly stress, and so forth. So I prefer to compete my method into form, so to say”.
Katie additionally had her personal occasion in 2024, the Katie Moon Basic, which she describes as “superior.” She provides, “I appreciated my hometown and highschool for being so accommodating. Fortunately, we had actually good climate, and it was only a enjoyable, enjoyable meet. It was good that we had not less than one woman who certified for the Olympic Trials from there. It was simply good to have a neighborhood meet that folks supported.”
She is letting the long run occur! “I’m completely going by means of this yr. The tentative objective is that I’d like to be at a house Olympics (2028), however I simply don’t know what my physique will really feel like. Principally, sure, I’d like to, however we’re simply going to take it yr by yr and see the way it goes. This sport is difficult sufficient as it’s. For those who’re not having fun with it, on the core of it, then it’s too tough to place your self by means of all the pieces. And I imply, that’s actually to not sound cliché, however that’s why I began it once I was a child. I simply beloved it. I assumed it was probably the most enjoyable factor ever. So I’d love to come back full circle and luxuriate in it on the finish of my profession”.
Katie is now based mostly in Tulsa, working full-time together with her husband, Hugo. She continues to be coached by Brad Walker, however remotely. “I’ll work with Brad until I retire. So he’s nonetheless writing all my coaching plans. He’s nonetheless very a lot concerned, however you get to some extent within the pole vault the place we’re now not making an attempt to reinvent the wheel. I’ve just about discovered the majority of what I can from him. And now I can do much more of it away from him and simply fine-tune with him”.
Reflecting on her Olympic and twice World Champion profession, she mentioned: “I’ve had by all accounts a dream profession. I’m so blessed. So many individuals work so onerous at this sport and simply don’t obtain what I’ve, and that’s not misplaced on me. I’m so extremely grateful for that. It’s cool to mirror on all of the sacrifices; the time and vitality spent was value it. And this perception that I had it myself, that many different folks had in me, was legitimate, and we did so”.
