Caudery takes fourth in women's pole vault final at World Athletics Indoor Championships

GB & NI’s Molly Caudery (Scott Simpson, Thames Valley) just missed out on a medal in the women’s world athletics indoor championships pole vault final this morning, with a best clearance of 4.70m giving her 4th place.

The defending champion who won the gold in Glasgow in 2024, had first time clearances at 4.45m and 4.60m, before requiring a second attempt to achieve 4.70m. With the bar elevated to 4.75m in a competition beset with technical issues and stops, Caudery couldn’t quite find that height although on at least two attempts she cleared the bar easily only to nudge it on the way down.

Only Marie-Julie Bonnin (FRA) was able to clear 4.75m to take the title before making further attempts at 4.80m in pursuit of further improvement on her lifetime best and French National record prior to the competition of 4.71m.

After, Caudery said: “It was definitely not what I wanted but I am disappointed to say the least. It was a really, really, tough competition and there were a lot of technical issues, but I don’t want to put any excuses out. I had some really good attempts at 4.75m but it has been a rocky indoors, without the consistency I would have liked, so lots to learn but I am moving on to the next one.

“If there is an hour wait in the middle of the competition when it’s getting to those medal bars – the really important bars – it shouldn’t be happening at a competition like this. The girls did struggle with that – as did I – it ruins the flow and even I know we were all deflated after but that’s championships for you.”

Earlier in the session in the women’s 60m heats, European Indoor finalist Amy Hunt (Marco Airale, Charnwood) was second in her opening race of this World Athletics Indoors with 7:26 to qualify for Saturday evening’s semi-final.

“I’m happy that we’re through but I’m not super happy with the race. That’s the benefit of having such a long break between the heat and the semi. I can go back, completely reset and forget about whatever a mess that was and come back and show what we can truly do in the semi.

“The heat is always just a case of survive and advance and for me it’s sometimes where we see a lot of mistakes come out in the heat but it’s kind of good to get them out of the way.”