* Hana Moll finished ninth in the world on Wednesday at the World Championships with a clearance of 4.50m
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports
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Hana Moll finished off her remarkable 2023 season on Wednesday with a ninth-place finish at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
It was a fitting conclusion for the recent Olympia Capital High School graduate, 18, who cleared 15 feet for the first time in April, then just keep driving upward, finishing third at USAs, then making the World final with a new American U20 record in 4.65 (15-3) meters.
On Wednesday, and on tired legs, Moll kept her focus squarely on the runway. The University of Washington recruit finished admirably with a 4.50m (14-9) clearance.
"I think my finals competition could have gone better," she told FloTrack's Cathal Dennehy afterward. "But the difference in progression from prelims and not having too much rest in between, I'm happy with how I did. I never did that before. Not feeling 100 percent, I'm happy I made 4.50m."
Moll's series started at 4.30m on Wednesday.
After clearing her first bar and moving through 4.50m, she missed on her next three attempts at 4.65m, which she cleared on Monday, a previous best. That performance from Monday, in fact, was a new national high school record.
"The crowd was very different from what I've experienced in America," she said.
"I think it definitely gave me energy. I don't think it made me nervous."
Moll watched on as American Katie Moon finished the competition tied with Australia's Nina Kennedy for the World title, both vaulters clearing 4.90m. Fellow vaulter Sandi Morris was seventh at 4.65m.
One of the biggest takeaways from her first appearance at Worlds, she said, was seeing her fellow vaulters in non-competitive spaces.
"Everyone on Team USA is super nice and encouraging," she said. "Just seeing them not in a performance environment makes them more human to me. I like that."
Moll finished her senior season with three clearances over 15 feet and five others at 14-6 or higher.
* (Second photo) Tim Reilly, Hana Moll's high school coach, watches on as Moll makes a run
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports
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