Molly Caudery. Two years in the life of a pole vaulter
2024 couldn’t have started better for Molly Coudrey, gold 4.80 in front of a British crowd in Glasgow with a 4.80 inside the world. He said at that time. “I dreamed about it. I wasn’t sure it would work. It was such a tough competition. There are six 4.80 m. girls in the competition so I knew it was going to be a battle.
At the beginning of last year in 2023, I had some surgeries, went through a rehab that year and was able to finish 5th at Worlds. Since then I have been so consistent with my training and my mental confidence has grown a lot. Physically, I’ve improved and I think the combination of everything has just snowballed to allow me to do what I’ve done.
“The Glasgow competition was tough because there were injuries and nasty falls. It affected me during the competition, I really felt it. To change from finishing 5th at World Outdoors last year to winning World Indoors is just unbelievable to me.
What a way to start the Olympic year! Even more so with June 2024 at 4.92 and eight vaults above 4.80. Then disaster. Three failures at 4.55 in the qualifying round of the Olympic Games. “I’m so disappointed. I have no excuses. I’m in shock. I felt great and in the best shape of my life. I loved the big crowd, I wasn’t overly nervous. I have no reason that what happened will take a while now.
“4.55m is the bar I jump every day. There is no doubt in my mind that I am going to clear it. Some might say I’ve reached too high, but that’s certainly not my opinion or that of my coach. When I’ve jumped 4.80 and 4.90 all year, 4.55 really shouldn’t have been too bad.”
And sure enough, he cleared 4.80 in his next competition.
The 2025 World Cup did not take place. He slipped and injured his ankle during the warm-up and was unable to compete.
The 2025 World Indoor Championships in China was an underwhelming event. It was a competition full of technical problems and stops. There was an hour-long wait midway through the contest as officials tried to get the bar riser up and running. Molly made two attempts to clear 4.70. The winner cleared 4.75, with three athletes clearing 4.70 – Molly missed out on a medal with that 4.70 failure. To make it even more annoying, he appeared to clear the 4.75 twice, only to push it on the way down.
He summed up a disappointing day. “Definitely not what I wanted, but I’m disappointed to say the least. It was a really, really tough competition and there were a lot of technical problems, but I don’t want to make any excuses. I had some really good attempts at 4.75m but it was difficult indoors but I would learn a lot but I wasn’t consistent. one.”
In comparison, Torun 2026 was straightforward, apart from the distraction of teammates Georgia Hunter-Bell and Keeley Hodgkinson, who won gold medals as she tried to jump. Of the 13 athletes, only five cleared 4.70, only two cleared 4.80, and only Molly cleared 4.85; the gold was his.
Delighted Molly said. “Six weeks ago I couldn’t get off the ground and I was in a dark place. To come here today and do this means more than anyone knows, after Paris and Tokyo and last year, it’s just a relief. I haven’t enjoyed jumping in such a long time. Just glad I got out on TUTE 4). To come around and win the title means a lot, I’ve prepared a lot and I knew I could jump at a high level. Medals today is like ‘Super Sunday’ again but better, three golds in 30 minutes and I couldn’t have asked for a better night.
P.S. Credit also goes to Scott Simpson who has helped 6 different athletes win 13 major championship medals including Molly.
