Editor’s Note: Molly Palmer attends Loughborough University and trains at Charnwood Athletic Club. Molly is on the British High Performance Program in Loughborough. Special thanks to Stuart Weir, our senior writer for Europe and UK, for this piece on Molly’s most impressive debut at the World Indoors.
Molly Palmer. an eventful debut
When? Molly Palmer jumped 6.68m in February, enough to secure him a first GB vest, first international selection and a place at the World Indoors. Imagine his excitement. Then a surprise. As he ran to the flight deck, he noticed that the hole was intact. It’s too late to abort. He jumped… and landed in a pit and fell back.
He complained that the sand was not buried properly. The officials agreed and allowed him to repeat his opening jump, but insisted he do it immediately, hardly fair. His second jump was long but was called a foul. One TV picture suggested it was legit. He finished 10thth with 6.49.
Molly’s assessment was. “I think today was one of the most eventful races I’ve ever had. The hole didn’t hit on my first round jump, so I had to jump again a few minutes later. It was a very stressful situation. I didn’t know what to do or how it worked. I didn’t know it was possible for the hole to not loosen because I jumped during the chronic championship. It’s a big risk, I could get re-injured when I dive showing my background in gymnastics is one of my biggest jumps ever.
