The women’s pole vault final is shaping up to be a competitive event with 20 athletes successfully making it through the qualification round. Surprisingly, none of the competitors needed to reach the qualifying standard of 4.70m, as lower heights proved to be sufficient for advancement.
Out of the 20 athletes, 11 managed to clear 4.55m, while the remaining nine tied for 12th place after clearing 4.40m. In field event finals, it is common to have 12 athletes, but in events like pole vault and high jump, more athletes can advance in case of ties with the judges' approval.
One notable athlete who secured her spot in the final is Team USA’s Katie Moon, the defending Olympic champion. Moon expressed her satisfaction with her performance, highlighting the fast runway and admitting the challenge of competing in a morning session, which she hadn't done since her high school or college days.
Reflecting on her experience, Moon stated, “I felt amazing. This runway is incredibly fast. Morning sessions are tricky for someone who’s not a morning person at all, so I was a little nervous. I haven’t jumped in the morning since high school, maybe college. But I felt great.”