World Athletics Championships: Katy and Nina shared gold medal in pole vault, won hearts with sportsmanship

Pankaj Prasad
Katy Moon and Nina Kennedy
Katy Moon and Nina Kennedy

Moon will take home gold from the World Championships for the second time, but it will be a gold she will remember for the rest of her life.

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It was not a medal but a share of sportsmanship. America's Katy Moon and Australia's Nina Kennedy decided to split the gold medal in the pole vault at the World Athletics Championships. Both are old friends. The incident was reminiscent of the high jump final of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, when Qatar's Mutaj Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Thamberi did what was called the Medal of Humanity. This is the second gold of Moon's career at the World Championships. He had achieved gold in Eugané last year but the defending Olympic champion had never won such a medal. The bar was raised five centimeters from last year's height of 4.85 centimetres. Both cleared 4.90 in their last attempt but neither could clear their 4.95 attempt. Katy proposes joint gold. Tears welled up in Neena's eyes hearing that she has also won gold. She could only win a bronze medal in the last championship.

Moon will take home gold from the World Championships for the second time, but it will be a gold she will remember for the rest of her life. For the first time in the history of the World Championships, there was a medal share. Moon said that we both performed equally well. Actually we both live and this is the right decision. Finland's Vilma Murato won the bronze medal with a throw of 4.80m.

I didn't think she would say to share it. It seemed that we would have to keep jumping. I looked at her and asked are you saying that we should share the gold. There was relief on his face saying this and you could see it on my face. This has happened by mutual consent. We both are old friends. Sharing the gold with Katy is incredible.

Medal of humanity was divided in high jump in Olympics

High jumpers Mutaj Barshim and Gianmarco Thamberi of Italy clocked identical 2.37m jumps at the Tokyo Olympics. Both were asked to attempt three more jumps each but could not decide on this either. Then one extra jump each was asked but during this the Italian player got injured so Barshim had a chance to win the gold by hitting one jump but he asked the officials what would happen if he didn't jump as well. Received the reply, the gold medal would be divided between the two, on this he withdrew from the jump and both were joint winners of the gold medal.

Warholm wins third world title in 400m hurdles

Norway's Karsten Warholm dominated the men's 400m hurdles to claim his third world title. Warholm, the defending Olympic champion, won the gold medal with a time of 46.89 seconds. Britain's Virgin Iceland took the silver in 47.34 and Roy Benjamin of the United States took the bronze in 47.56. Alison dos Santos of Brazil, the defending world champion, finished fifth. Warholm set a world record of 45.94 seconds while winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He did a great job running in the seventh lane here.