British pole vault star Molly Caudery said she is ‘heartbroken again’ after her World Athletics Championship title hopes were ended by an ankle injury she sustained in the warm-up.
Caudery had been hoping to bounce back on the global stage following disappointment at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where as the gold medal favourite she missed out on the final after failing to make a height in qualifying.
The 25-year-old, who won the world indoor title in 2024, was instead left in tears and taken away in a wheelchair at the Japan National Stadium.
Caudery rolled her ankle during the warm-up ahead of World Championship qualifying, after planting her left foot into the landing mat during a run through.
The British star placed her hands in front of her face and fought tears as she received medical treatment.
Caudery, who was supported by her rivals, was eventually taken away in a wheelchair and was forced to withdraw before the competition began.
Molly Caudery was pictured in tears after an ankle injury ended her world title hopes
Caudery grimaced in pain after rolling her ankle during a run through during the warm-up
She had hoped to bounce back from her Olympic disappointment at the World Championships
‘Unfortunately Molly Caudery has been forced to withdraw from pole vault qualifying following an ankle injury sustained in warm-up,’ a British Athletics statement read.
British Paralympian Stef Reid described Caudrey’s injury as a ‘freak accident’ and expressed her sympathy for the star.
‘It is just a freak accident, she has done nothing wrong,’ the BBC pundit said.
‘To see it end like that, in tears, that is not how she wanted to come away from Tokyo.
‘She was coming here looking to have a redo of Paris. When it comes to athletics, these opportunities don’t come around a lot.
‘The pole vault mats are meant to be soft, she must have caught her ankle at a terrible angle. It’s devastating.’
Caudery later shared an update on social media from the medical centre, where she was pictured with her boyfriend Joel Clarke-Khan, a British high jumper.
‘Heartbroken again,’ Caudery wrote.
Caudery was ultimately forced to withdraw from the competition before it had begun
The British star was taken away in a wheelchair at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo
Caudery said she was ‘heartbroken again’ after sharing an update from the medical centre alongside her high jumper boyfriend Joel Clarke-Khan, who is also recovering from injury
‘Out before I even started, rolled my ankle during the warm-up.
‘Waiting for an official diagnosis but a huge thank you for all the support as always.
‘2025 season officially over, see you in 2026.’
Caudery shared another photo of her and Clarke-Khan, who has missed the World Championships through injury, both in wheelchairs.
‘We’ll get them next year,’ she wrote.
Caudrey had headed into the World Championships having won a Diamond League event in Doha back in May, before retaining her British title in August.
She had also won the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold title after two wins and a second place finish, before placing fourth at the World Indoor Championships in China back in March.
