Katie Moon speaks to media in advance of Saturday's start of world championships...
BUDAPEST, Hungary--We are officially on the ground here in Budapest to begin our coverage of the World Athletics outdoor track and field championships at the National Athletics Centre.
A few hours ago, former Pullman resident Katie Moon (Paul Merca photo) spoke to members of the media as part of USA Track & Field's press conference featuring several athletes.
Moon, who holds both a world and Olympic championship in the pole vault, told members of the media that she had a bit of a post-Olympic hangover as well as some physical issues that caused her to shut down the season after winning the world championships.
"I feel like a completely different athlete this year," she said in reference to her mindset going into the championships. "I feel really ready, and it's just a matter of doing my job. I know that the work is done, and I'm prepared to do something really cool."
After getting married to former Washington State assistant crew coach Hugo Moon New Year's Eve, Katie still lives in Atlanta, despite Hugo holding a position coaching the crew team at the University of Tulsa. She says she commutes to Tulsa on weeks where she has a light training cycle, but does most of her heavy training in Atlanta under University of Washington alum and former world champion Brad Walker.
She said that she still has some goals in the sport, after winning both the world and Olympic titles. Those include clearing 5 meters (16-4.75), a mark that only three women have achieved, including her former training partner Sandi Morris, as well as the world record of 16-7 (5.06m) set by Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva.
"I'm not saying that it's going to be easy. I know that I'm capable, and it's just a matter of getting it done.
SEB COE RE-ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF WORLD ATHLETICS...
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe was elected for a third term at the 54th World Athletics Congress Thursday. This marks the final four-year term for Coe, the two-time Olympic champion at 1500 meters, and the former head of the 2012 London Olympic organizing committee under the federation's constitution.
SATURDAY MARKS OPENING DAY OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS...
Saturday, seven athletes with Washington ties make their appearance on the National Athletics Centre track.
In the morning session, Walla Walla native & double NCAA/USATF champion Kenneth Rooks runs in the first round of the men's 3000 meter steeplechase at 11:50 am local time (2:50 am Seattle time), where he'll have to place fifth or higher to advance to the final on Tuesday at 9:42 pm local time (12:42 pm Pacific time).
Sophie O'Sullivan of the University of Washington and Ireland runs in heat 3 of the women's 1500 at 1:37 pm local time (4:37 am in Seattle), while Marta Pen Freitas of the Brooks Beasts and Portugal goes in heat 4 eleven minutes later.
The top six in each of the four first round heats of the women's 1500 advance to the semis Sunday at 5:35 pm local time (8:35 am in Seattle).
Saturday night's session sees Josh Kerr of Great Britain and the Brooks Beasts, along with former Huskies Sam Tanner of New Zealand & Kieran Lumb of Canada, and current Husky Joe Waskom of Team USATF in the first round of the men's 1500.
Kerr leads it off in heat one at 7:02 pm (10:02 am Pacific time) in a heat that features defending Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway.
Former UW roommates Tanner and Waskom are in the second heat nine minutes later,
while Lumb is in the third heat at 7:20 pm (10:20 am Pacific time).
Four finals are on the agenda Saturday, starting with the men's 20 kilometer race walk at 8:50 am local time (11:50pm August 18th Pacific time).
Also Saturday are the men's shot put, the women's 10000, and the mixed 4 x 400 relay.
PREMIUM CONTENT AVAILABLE DURING WORLD CHAMPS...
For those of you who are members or supporters of the site via our buymeacoffee.com page, we will produce premium content during the course of these world championships.
The viewers guide published late last week, has full biographical information on the seventeen athletes with ties to the state of Washington competing in Budapest.
For those of you who have not looked at the preview of the viewer's guide, here's the link to it. You can receive the full version of it once you become a member or supporter of the site.
NOTE: World Athletics, the WABudapest 23 Organizing Committee, and USA Track & Field contributed to this report.
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