Womens pole vault world title goes to Katie Moon and Nina Kennedy while Britains Molly Caudery excels in equal fifth place

With a result reminiscent of the Tokyo Olympics mens high jump, Nina Kennedy of Australia and Katie Moon of the United States shared the womens pole vault title at the World Championships in Budapest on Wednesday (Aug 23).

Back in Tokyo, Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi could not be separated and agreed to have gold each. Here the same happened again with Kennedy and Moon clearing 4.90m on their third attempts before failing at 4.95m.

Behind, Wilma Murto of Finland took bronze and Tina Sutej of Slovenia was fourth with 4.80m.

Molly Caudery of Great Britain, meanwhile, enjoyed the performance of her life with a brilliant 4.75m PB which earned her joint fifth place with Angelica Moser of Switzerland.

Moon, the two-time and defending world champion, said: When the final started, I didnt think sharing a gold medal would work for me, but now I am completely satisfied. What a battle it was.

This was Kennedys first world crown and after adding 8cm to her Australian record, she said: I jumped out of my skin tonight. It was super crazy.

I felt like the whole stadium was watching every single jump. To win a gold medal, it is just a dream come true. I knew I could get on the podium, but it was a miracle to get the gold. So, I think a miracle happened tonight.

After Olympic bronze medallist Holly Bradshaw had exited in qualifying following a bout of severe sickness before her competition, it was left to Caudery to fly the flag for Britain and she did so in style.

A PB, Olympic qualifier, fifth in the world my emotions are all over the place, she said. It is just not settling in what a night. I dont have words for it.

It was a bit of a pressure jump [at 4.75m]. I used a slightly bigger pole, one that I havent used in a long time. I got the crowd behind me and I think that made the difference. I sped through the box and the jump after that I came down on the mat and the bar was still there.

Impressively Caudery, who won Commonwealth silver last year in Birmingham, missed a large chunk of winter training, too, due to foot surgery.

I came in really wanting to make the final. If I made the final, anything else was a bonus top eight would be great but top five is amazing. I had an okay attempt at 4.80m and two run throughs at 4.85m I was just a bit tired by then.

The 23-year-old, who is from Cornwall but based at Loughborough where she trains with Bradshaw, added: To be competing with those girls that I was watching a couple of years ago was so amazing. Hopefully I will start getting into a few more higher competitions now, and mixing with them more. I just want to keep doing more of what I am doing and solidifying that and jumping 4.70m and maybe raising it even more.