Molly Caudery Eyes British Record and Medal Glory at World Championships in Tokyo

Posted : 10 September 2025

British pole vaulter Molly Caudery is confident she can break her own national record and challenge for a medal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The 25-year-old from Cornwall set a British best of 4.92m last year and entered the Paris 2024 Olympics as the world’s top-ranked competitor. However, her campaign ended in disappointment when she failed to clear a height in qualifying.

After a turbulent year, Caudery says she has regained form and consistency at the right time. She begins her qualifying campaign on Monday, aiming to book her spot in Wednesday’s final.

“I think if you jump a British record, you’re probably in medal territory,” Caudery told the BBC. “It hasn’t been the smoothest season, but the past month has given me a lot more consistency, which sets me up really well going into Tokyo.”

The European bronze medallist and World Indoor Championships podium finisher has shown strong form in recent weeks. She cleared 4.80m to take second at the Brussels Diamond League and won the British title with 4.85m in August. Those marks, she believes, could be enough to secure a medal in Tokyo, although conditions may dictate the winning height.

Caudery says she has “learned so much” from her Olympic disappointment, where she entered qualification 35cm higher than her rivals but failed to progress. This time, she plans to focus on the process rather than the outcome. “Last year, I got caught up thinking about the final and an Olympic medal. Now, it’s about staying present, getting through qualifying, and seeing what I can do from there,” she added.

Elsewhere, fellow British athlete Seamus Derbyshire has captured headlines in a different way. The 400m hurdler went viral earlier this year after performing playful starting-line theatrics at the Diamond League in London, including mimicking the film Wicked’s iconic “toss toss” hair flick.

The 25-year-old, who is openly gay, says his routines are unplanned and reflect his commitment to being his “authentic self” after years of battling competition anxiety. His approach has reinvigorated his career, leading to personal bests, a qualification standard for Tokyo, and a renewed sense of joy in the sport.

Despite enduring homophobic abuse online, Derbyshire says most responses have been “overwhelmingly positive,” with many praising him as a role model. Looking ahead to his first World Championships, he says his goal is not dethroning three-time champion Karsten Warholm but embracing the experience. “My main target this year has been to get back to enjoying competing,” he said. “Moments like this don’t come around often, so I really want to relish it.”

Molly Caudery Eyes British Record and Medal Glory at World Championships in Tokyo

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