Molly Caudery believes she can break the British pole vault record and win a medal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The 25-year-old from Cornwall set a new British best of 4.92m last year and was the highest-ranked competitor heading into last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Unfortunately, Caudery did not reach the Olympic final, failing to register a successful vault in qualifying.
However, after an inconsistent season, she feels she is peaking at the right moment for Tokyo, where she will begin qualifying on Monday with the aim of making Wednesday’s final.
“I think if you jump a British record, while not taking it for granted, you are likely to be in medal contention,” she told the BBC. “I definitely am in that shape.
“It hasn’t been the smoothest season, and gaining consistency has been a struggle. However, over the past month, I have found more of that, which sets me up well for Tokyo.” Caudery, who won bronze at the European Championships and the World Indoor Championships last year, finished second at her most recent Diamond League event in Brussels last month, clearing 4.80m.
She jumped 4.85m to win the British title in early August and hopes to replicate those heights to reach the podium. “Looking at past competitions and the marks that have earned medals, there’s usually a mark around 4.80m.
“However, in the pole vault, it could be 4.90m-plus if conditions are favourable or 4.70m if it’s raining or windy. There’s evidence suggesting it would be around 4.80-4.85, but you just never know.”
Caudery remarked that she has “learned so much” from her Olympic experience in Paris last summer, where she entered qualifying 35cm higher than the other competitors but failed to clear 4.55m.
“Of course, the main goal is to get through qualification. I was so focused on the final and winning an Olympic medal last year that I got caught up in that.
This year, it’s about staying present, getting through to the final, and then seeing what I can achieve from there.”
