MOLLY CAUDERY
Country: Great Britain
Born: 17 Mar. 2000
Height: 1.75 m. (5 ft 9 in)
From Gymnastics to Pole Vaulting Prodigy
Molly Caudery was born in Truro, England. She began her athletic journey with gymnastics but discovered her true passion for pole vaulting, inspired by her father, Stuart, a former pole vaulter. The unwavering support of her family, including her mother Barbara and brother Finley, has been instrumental in her success.
Molly’s talent shone early. In 2017, she won a silver medal at the European U20 Championships. The following year, at the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, she finished fifth, becoming the youngest member of Team England. On June 23 2018, she set a British junior pole vault record at 4.53 meters.
She then studied kinesiology at the University of Miami. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted her studies, leading her to return to the UK. Since then, Molly has trained at Loughborough University with Scott Simpson and alongside Olympic medalist Holly Bradshaw.
Has Molly Caudery undergone any surgeries?
Yes, Molly has faced several surgeries due to injuries that challenged her athletic career. In 2021, a weightlifting accident nearly cost her a finger. The barbell caught her finger, leading to three surgeries. She described the injury as being “90 percent off.” This experience was a significant setback, but it wasn’t her only challenge. Molly also underwent two surgeries on her Achilles tendon, sidelining her for nearly nine months. Despite these obstacles, she showed incredible resilience and returned to competitive form.
Molly bounced back, winning silver at the 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships in Tallinn. She repeated this success at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
What Are Molly’s Most Recent Achievements?
With her career on the rise, Molly continued to shine. She won the British title in 2023, which led her to the World Championships in Budapest. There, she finished fifth and raised her personal best to 4.75 meters. In early 2024, she set new records, clearing heights of 4.83 meters and 4.85 meters while winning the British indoor championship. This marked a world-leading height at the time. Her crowning achievement came on March 2, 2024, when she won gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, jumping 4.80 meters. This made her Great Britain’s first world champion in this event.
As the outdoor season began, Molly’s form remained strong. She won her first Diamond League event in Doha with a height of 4.73 meters. She followed up with gold at the Golden Spike Ostrava, clearing 4.84 meters. Her consistency earned her a bronze medal at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome.
What is Molly Caudery’s personal best?
Molly’s personal best is 4.92 meters, set on June 22, 2024. She achieved this at the Toulouse Capitole Perche meet, setting a new British national record for women’s pole vault. This accomplishment marked a pivotal moment in British athletics as she broke Holly Bradshaw’s previous record of 4.90 meters.
What went wrong for Molly Caudery at the 2024 Olympics?
Molly’s journey at the 2024 Paris Olympics took an unexpected turn. She faced an early exit from the women’s pole vault qualifying round. Although she was a strong contender, she failed to clear the qualifying height of 4.55 meters. This height is typically well within her capabilities, making her departure all the more disappointing.
In a post-competition interview, Molly expressed her disbelief. She stated, “I am currently in a bit of shock. I am so disappointed. I don’t have any excuse… 4.55m is a bar that I jump day in, day out.” Despite feeling in peak condition and enjoying the electric atmosphere of the Olympic crowd, she could not find her rhythm, resulting in three failed attempts.
Molly Caudery: Year-by-Year Highlights
2017: Won silver at the European Athletics U20 Championships in Grosseto, Italy.
2018:
- At 17, claimed her first senior indoor title at the British Indoor Championships.
- Competed as England’s youngest athlete at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, finishing fifth.
- Set a British junior pole vault record of 4.53 m on 23 June in Mannheim, Germany.
- Accepted a scholarship to the University of Miami, where she began majoring in kinesiology.
2019: Achieved a season’s best indoor vault of 4.18 m at the Doc Hale VT Elite meet in February while competing for the University of Miami.
2020:
- Recorded a season’s best indoor vault of 4.15 m at the British Indoor Championships.
- Returned to the UK from Miami to fully focus on advancing her pole vaulting career, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting competition schedules.
2021: Secured silver at the European Athletics U23 Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.
2022: Took silver at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, representing England.
2023:
- Won the British Championships with a personal best of 4.71 m, qualifying for the World Championships.
- Finished fifth at the World Championships in Budapest, achieving a new personal best of 4.75 m.
2024:
- Set multiple personal bests, reaching 4.83 m, 4.85 m, and finally 4.86 m in February.
- Won gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow on 2 March, making history as Great Britain’s first world champion in the event with a jump of 4.80 m.
- Won her first Diamond League event in Doha on 10 May with a vault of 4.73 m.
- Captured gold at the Golden Spike Ostrava meet on 28 May with a season-high vault of 4.84 m.
- Won bronze at the European Athletics Championships in Rome on 10 June, clearing 4.73 m.
- Set a British record and world-leading mark of 4.92 m at the Toulouse Capitole Perche meet on 22 June.
- Claimed the British outdoor title with a jump of 4.83 m, securing her spot for the Olympics.
- Competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, although she did not qualify for the final.
Who is Molly Caudery’s boyfriend?
Molly is currently in a relationship with fellow athlete Joel Clarke-Khan, a British high jumper. The couple has been together since 2023 and is often seen training together. Joel has made a name for himself in athletics, notably winning the high jump event at the 2020 British Athletics Championships.
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