Moll, 18, is youngest athlete on American roster, one of four vaulters competing for U.S., along with Moon, Morris and Williams, in final meet of memorable prep career in Budapest

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

For much of Hana Moll’s electrifying, overly impressive pole vault career, she has surpassed her peers with eyes on the next height, so-to-speak.

The recent Capital High graduate from Olympia, Wash., was officially named Aug. 7 to the U.S. national team roster scheduled to compete at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Moll, the reigning World U20 gold medalist from last year in Colombia, will travel to Europe to take part in the biggest and most competitive meet of her young career.

For Moll, 18, the time is finally now.

“We’ve been thinking about this stuff of what’s next for a while, but it’s no longer what’s next, it’s what now,” Northwest Pole Vault club coach Tim Reilly said. “And that’s weird.”

Weird, exciting, maybe a little scary.

Moll, who has dominated high school competition in recent years along with twin sister Amanda, is ready to embrace all the emotions.

She’s the youngest of 138 athletes that are representing the U.S. at Worlds. 

“I’m super excited and I didn’t think it would come this fast,” Moll said. “I definitely was not mentally prepared to do that well at USAs and make the team, but now that this opportunity has come into my hands, it’s just taking it one step at a time and learning a lot through this whole process.”

After winning the Washington 3A state pole vault title, followed by the Nike Outdoor Nationals championship in June, Moll extended her already long season another three weeks to seize the rare opportunity to vault at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., against a stacked professional and collegiate lineup.

Trying out a new eight-step approach, Moll cleared 14-3.50 (4.36m) on her first attempt. She followed by clearing 14-9.50 (4.51m) on her second try, then soared over 15-1.50 (4.61m), a new national high school outdoor record. She finished in third place and in position to qualify for Worlds, despite not achieving the global qualifying standard of 15-5.50 (4.71m).

“How well it went for her at USAs, it was the best possible outcome,” Reilly said. “And really, the fact the opening height (14-3.50) was unusual for a high school kid. And then all the pros failed on the first attempt, and it was like, ‘Wow!’ It proves it was a really difficult thing, and she’s really an unusual kid.”

Moll said she doesn’t see herself as naturally outgoing.

Through the years, she’s let her craft do the talking around the world, as she’s built her legacy on speed, strength and smarts.

Hana won the U20 World title, clearing 14-3.25 (4.35m), last year in Cali, Colombia, with Amanda finishing fifth at 13-9.25 (4.20m).

Hana is the youngest of the 38 athletes in the field competing in the Aug. 21 qualifying round against New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney, Australia’s Nina Kennedy and Slovenia’s Tina Šutej.

She’s on the team with reigning Olympic gold medalist and World champion Katie Moon, last year’s World silver medalist Sandi Morris and first-time global qualifier Bridget Williams, all women she’s looked up to while developing and growing in the sport.

“While this is her biggest challenge, I don’t think she’s intimidated by the athletes, she’s happy in that environment,” Reilly said. “She’s not going there to win, she’s going there to grow as always and keep working on the process, and that’s been a successful recipe.”

While everyone in Moll’s inner circle was nearly 99 percent sure her spot on the team was secure, due to her world ranking, her family and coaches had to wait until the U.S. team was officially announced to book any travel arrangements for Budapest.

“I think emotionally for me, I’ve kind of been waiting to be excited until I find out for sure,” Moll said. “And now it’s here, it’s just getting super pumped up and excited and preparing myself mentally for the big trip.”

Going with Hana will be Amanda, her parents – father, Eric, and mother, Paula, who handles all of her daughter’s travel plans – along with Reilly and his wife.

Reilly mentioned Maurica Powell, Director of Track and Field and Cross Country at the University of Washington, is also making the trip, and they’ll be on the same flight.

After Worlds, Hana and Amanda, as well as Reilly, will transition together to the next phase, with NCAA competition representing the University of Washington.

Reilly will join the Huskies’ staff and partner with Toby Stevenson, Washington’s Associate Head Coach of the jumps and multis.

“I'm super excited Tim is going with us to UW, it will definitely help the transition and make it a lot smoother,” Moll said. “I’m super excited to work with Toby and have them collaborate and be the perfect storm.”

But for now, the focus is Worlds and making sure to enjoy the last summer before college. Moll explained the preparations haven’t been any different, mainly keeping the fitness in check and light training and working on technique. 

“I’m excited to see the energy in the meet,” Moll said. “And obviously meeting Mondo [Swedish vaulter and reigning World champion Armand Duplantis] and seeing him vault.”

In Budapest, competing in front of a bigger audience in Hungary’s new National Athletics Centre, the goal for Moll isn’t to win or earn a medal, rather the experience. And as she’s proved her entire career, she’s prepared to take that next step.

“She knew this was not yet her time (at U.S. Outdoors), really, and we’re going into USAs to fight like a future champion and know you belong in this community. The women already know and like her a lot, and then when she just lit it up like that, we’re like, ‘OK. Look what you’ve done. What do we do now? Now you're headed for a super stage and you’re still a baby,’” Reilly said. “And she said, ‘Well, I think what we do is just embrace it.’”