by Larry Eder
Molly Caudery
Molly Caudery has had a whirlwind nine months. She entered 2023 with a PR of 4.60 and cleared 4.71 to win the GB Champs and earn her place in the Worlds. In Budapest, she leaped to 4.75 and fifth place.
2024 started with 4.83 and 4.75 in France, a second new PR in a month—4.85—to win the GB indoors and then 4.86 back in France. Then, she won the World Indoors with 4.80.
She seemed a little overwhelmed after that Worlds win in Glasgow: “The change from coming 5th at World Outdoors last year to winning World Indoors is just unbelievable to me, and it’s not sunk in. I dreamed of this. I wasn’t sure if it would come true or not. It was such a tough competition; six girls over 4.80m were coming into it, so I knew it would be a fight. I’m not used to having a target on my back and to have executed the way I did, I am just proud of myself for that. As soon as I got a medal, that was kind of all I came to do, and that made me believe in myself”.
That was 5 indoor competitions in 2024, with performances equal to or beyond her 2023 PR.
She followed that with a first-ever Diamond League win in Doha; she is only 24. It shows how far she has come that her Doha winning height of 4.73 seemed disappointing. She said of the win: “The competition was very tough today. The crowd was amazing. There was quite a strong wind, but we could handle it very well; I really enjoyed the competition. Pole vault is about consistency, but I am really happy with the outcome. This is my first time in Doha. It is a great atmosphere, I love the climate, I love it here”.
I remember watching Molly at the 2022 European Championships when she was seventh with 4.55 this year. I asked her if the 2022 Molly was expected to be where she is in 2024: “Definitely not as quick as it’s all happened. Everything has come up simultaneously in the last six months following worlds. I knew I had been in quite good shape, but going from my PB being 4.60 at the beginning of last year to 4.86 already this year – getting up to high heights – is a pretty big jump. So now it’s all happened very quickly for me actually”.
She attributes her success to continuity of training with coach Scott Simpson: “I’ve just not got injured, and I think that’s been my main success at the minute. I’ve just been able to consistently build through training. I took so much confidence from last year, and I’ve improved physically, mentally, and overall confidence, and I think that’s just taken me to the next step.”
Amazingly, she shared that she had to adjust her plans because of the success. Her aim had been to win a medal at the 2028 Olympics, with Paris being a valuable experience on the way to 2028. She explains: “I think every athlete has their timeline, and 2028 was gonna be my time for me. That’s when you really want to focus. The aim was just to try and get to the Olympics this year, but by opening up how I have, I’ve got to adjust to what I’ve been given or given myself. And I know that 4.86 could be pushing towards those medal areas. So, I do think I need to reevaluate. It’s crazy to think that that could put me up there”.
In part 2, Molly talks about Holly Bradshaw’s influence, surfing, baking, and nearly losing a finger.
