Olympic champion Katie Moon's advise to young Kenyan athletes seeking for breakthrough in field events

ATHLETICS Olympic champion Katie Moon's advise to young Kenyan athletes seeking for breakthrough in field events

Abigael Wafula 09:34 - 20.01.2024

Olympic champion Katie Moon has shared wise counsel to young Kenyan athletes who are seeking to make it in field events.

Reigning Olympic champion Katie Moon’s journey to the top has not been a walk in the pack as many might assume since she had to work extra hard to be recognised as one of the world’s greatest pole vaulters.

Due to the struggles she went through, Moon certainly understands what it takes for one to rise to the top, and in an exclusive interview, she shared some advice to Kenyan youngsters on how to make it to the top in field events.

Kenya is mostly known for producing some of the greatest middle- and long-distance runners but Moon believes the country also has capabilities in producing great field athletes who will continue soaring like Julius Yego, the 2015 World javelin champion.

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“If you want to try it, do it. I obviously know that it’s easier said than done especially when you don’t have access to the facilities.

“However, if there is any possible way for you to try a sport that you are interested in, go to the length to get there and do it as much as you possibly can.

“I usually see videos of people in the US pole vaulting on the beach and you know I love to see people trying it in any way that they can.

“I think just as long as you have the drive to do it, that’s half the battle, and then when you find the opportunity to try and play, do it. And have fun with it when you are young because as you get older, it starts to become more daunting and more work,” Moon said.

The two-time World champion also narrated her experience as a pole vaulter and her journey in the field of athletics.

“My journey has been one of perseverance and I was not the athlete that was phenomenally good right away at a very young age but I was good at every other level and had the opportunity to continue to the next level.

"It took me until the final year of school to win our state championship and then it took me until my final year of university to win the NCAA championship.

"It also took me five years out of the university to jump high enough to be part of the US team and get a sponsor. I was talented and had the potential but I had to work hard to reach those high heights and then continue to the next level,” she said.

She added that self-doubt and lack of mental strength were the major undoings in her career and she had to overcome that in various points of her career.

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