Pole vaulter Moon excited about special Tokyo return

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FILE PHOTO: Athletics - Diamond League - Final - Zurich - Zurich, Switzerland - August 27, 2025 Katie Moon of the U.S. reacts during the womens pole vault final REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth/File Photo

TOKYO - As an Olympic and double world pole vault champion - once famously sharing the gold - Katie Moon has seen and done it all, and she said on Friday her preparation is not about to be derailed by a sub-optimal experience on arrival in Tokyo.

Moon detailed her annoyance on social media after being forced to wait hours for her hotel room, got kicked out, and then reinstated on a long first day ahead of the world championships.

Settled and refreshed on Friday, however, the 34-year-old American was in far more positive mood as she looked forward to competing again at the stadium where she won her Olympic gold without any fans watching in 2021.

Its frustrating, this was not very smooth coming in. I think putting everybody at the same hotel was maybe not fully thought through, Moon told a press conference.

But Im in a room now and settled and Im just excited to be back and to see that stadium filled with people is going to be pretty special, really incredible.

More than anything, my family will get to be there. Any time I get to compete and theyre in the stands, I tend to do better.

Moon is seeking a third successive world title having shared the 2023 gold with Australias