Injury ends Molly Caudery’s hopes of pole vault gold in Tokyo

Molly Caudery’s bid for world gold in the pole vault was dashed by injury. The British athlete, who is the 2024 world indoor champion, sprained her ankle during the warm-up after stepping on her left foot on the landing mat after a trial run.

The 25-year-old Molly Caudery, who failed to qualify for the Olympics final last year, received medical attention and support from her teammates as she realized her race was over before it had even begun.

She covered her face with her hands as she was wheeled off the track in a wheelchair shortly before the start of the event.

British para-athlete Stefanie Reid told BBC TV: “It’s just a ridiculous incident. She’s done nothing wrong. To see it end like this, in tears, is not how she wanted to leave Tokyo. She came here hoping to make it back to Paris. In athletics, these opportunities don’t come up often. The pads for a sheepskin jump must be soft, she must have landed on her ankle at a terrible angle. It’s devastating”.

Five-time world javelin thrower Steve Buckley said: “It’s so disappointing for Molly Caudery. It’s something she’s done a thousand times in training – you step up and you step on an unstable surface. Just one of those injuries you don’t expect”.