Molly Caudery: The "Cornish Vault Star" Rising Above the Rest
- Mark Dunn
- Feb 17
- 3 min read
Molly Caudery: The "Cornish Vault Star" Rising Above the Rest
Article by Mark Dunn for Sports News-UK
If there is one athlete who embodies the phrase "resilience in motion," it is Molly Caudery. This past weekend at the Novuna UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham, the Truro-born star didn’t just win a title; she completed a comeback that has been months in the making.
Molly Caudery - Image by Mark Dunn Photography
Opening her 2026 season with a commanding performance, Molly secured her sixth British title with a best clearance of 4.65m. While the height was a "season opener," the significance was much deeper. After a heartbreaking ankle injury forced her withdrawal from the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, seeing her fly over the bar in Birmingham was the highlight of the weekend for many British fans.
Molly Caudery - Image by Mark Dunn Photography
A Career of Highs and Lows
Molly’s journey to becoming the world’s premier vaulter has been anything but linear. In 2024, she famously soared to World Indoor Gold in Glasgow, becoming Britain's first-ever global champion in the discipline. Later that year, she shattered the British record with a world-leading 4.92m in Toulouse—a mark that still stands as the gold standard for UK pole vaulting.
However, the sport of pole vaulting is as much about the "misses" as the "makes." Following a challenging Olympic debut in Paris and the subsequent ankle surgery in late 2025, Molly has spent the last few months working tirelessly with her team at Loughborough to rebuild her strength and timing.
The Road to Poland: Defending the Crown
The victory in Birmingham was a "dress rehearsal" for her biggest challenge of the winter: defending her title at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland this March.
"I'm feeling a lot of relief," Molly admitted after her win. "It hasn't been the easiest comeback, but today it was really nice to get back out there." With her signature smile and a "playing it safe" strategy for 2026, she is prioritizing health to ensure she is at her absolute peak for the Commonwealth Games and the World Ultimate Championships later this summer.
Molly Caudery remains the focal point of British field events—a world-class talent who consistently finds a way to clear the highest hurdles placed in her path.
📊 Stat Attack: Molly Caudery vs. The World (2026)
Molly Caudery’s victory in Birmingham was more than just a domestic title; it was a high-stakes fitness test on the road to the World Indoor Championships. While Molly is working her way back to her 4.92m British record form, the global landscape for 2026 is already looking incredibly competitive.
The 2026 World Indoor Leaderboard (Pole Vault)
Molly's season opener of 4.65m places her firmly in the world's top 10, but the bar is being set high by a mix of established legends and rising stars.
The "Comeback" Context
It is important to view Molly’s 4.65m within the context of her recovery.
• The Progression: In Birmingham, Molly entered the competition at 4.25m and cleared five consecutive heights on her first attempt.
• The "Near Miss": She concluded the competition with three very close attempts at 4.70m, a height that would have moved her into the world top five for the season.
• The Strategy: Unlike the high-flying 4.80m+ clearances of early 2024, Molly and her coach are utilizing a "controlled build" for 2026 to protect her ankle following last year’s surgery.
The Rivalry: The Battle for Poland
As Molly heads to the World Indoor Championships in Poland (March 2026), she faces a familiar field:
1. Hana Moll (The Prodigy): The 21-year-old American is currently the world leader. Her 4.88m shows she has the raw height to challenge Molly’s crown.
2. Tina Šutej (The Veteran): At 37, the Slovenian remains one of Molly’s most consistent rivals. Her 4.80m in Metz shows she is in medal-winning form.
3. Angelica Moser (The European Rival): After beating Molly to the European outdoor title last summer, the Swiss star is always a tactical threat in championship finals.
Key Insight: Molly remains the only woman in the current active top 10 to have cleared 4.92m in the last 24 months. While she is currently 7th on the 2026 season list, her "ceiling" is statistically higher than almost anyone else in the field.
All data compiled for Sports News-UK. Images by Mark Dunn Photography.
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