Molly Caudery – world champion

This is the third piece by Stuart Weir on Day 2, and it is a homage to the wonderful pole vaulting by Team GB’s new star, Molly Caudery, who has dealt with some tough injuries and setbacks, yet her competition in Glasgow gave Team GB its second gold medal on what Rob Walker of WA broadcasting called, “Sensational Saturday!”

Molly Caudery – world champion

The women’s pole vault always promised to be one of the highlights of the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow and it did notdisappoint.  What disappointed me was the BBC TV coverage.

Most of the greats of the sport were there:

Katie Moon – World and Olympic champion

Sandi Morris – 2018 and 2022 World Indoor Champion

Ekaterina Stefanidi – former World and Olympic champion

Eliza McCartney – Olympic medalist

Then there was the World leader, Molly Caudery, a British athlete who had a phenomenal year, coming fifth in Budapest last year and clearing 4.85 and 4.86 this season.

Your correspondent, recovering from surgery, was watching on TV from home.  Shame that BBC did not seem to realize that the pole vault was happening. With BBC preferring to concentrate on track or even studio discussions between pundits to the live field action, I was left trying to follow the PV from the World Athletics feed.  Even that was delayed, with the outcome of a vault appearing on the website before the jump was shown!  The lowest of the low was when Molly Caudery made what proved to be her winning leap, and BBC was covering the 3000.  The TV commentator said, “You may have heard a loud roar.  We will tell you what it was later”.  It was 10 minutes before BBC deigned to show the PV magic moment.

Back to the Pole vault competition, there was drama from the start.  Sadly, Alysha Newman had to withdraw without jumping.  Wilma Murto ended her competition at 4.55, struggling with injury. Margot Chevrier suffered what looked a bad injury as she seemed to fall onto the floor not the padding.

Stefanidi went out at 4.55, and Sandi Morris at 4.65.  Angelica Moser leaped to a PR of 4.75 but had to settle for fourth. Katie Moon reached 4.75 with three vaults but failed at 4.80. McCartney and Caudery reached 4.80, but neither could add to that height.  Caudery won on countback, with McCartney taking silver. I can write that Molly Caudery ONLY managed…