An exclusive Q&A with British pole vaulter Molly Caudery, who has both Olympic and European ambitions in 2024

If youre going to make a statement at the start of the season, then do it in an Olympic year.

Molly Caudery, who finished fifth in her debut world pole vault final and claimed silver at the Commonwealth Games, is already visualising the prospect of Paris 2024.

The British 23-year-old currently holds the world pole vault lead with the 4.83m she cleared at Meeting de lEure in Val-de-Reuil this past Sunday (January 28), a Continental Indoor Tour silver event.

Not many athletes can boast theyve improved their personal best by eight centimetres in just a single vault, yet thats what Caudery achieved. Her previous best mark of 4.75m was in front of 30,000 fans in the world final in Budapest.

Caudery herself states she thrives under pressure and to clear such a height in January raises eyebrows because you wonder, what could be possible this season?

Heres AWs exclusive Q&A with Caudery on everything from mindset and momentum to medals and memories.

What are your first feelings of vaulting 4.83m?

Its still not sunk in. Theres such a fine line between the 4.70m 4.80m mark so to break through that barrier and overcome that is amazing. I feel confident and Im in great shape.

In the last year Ive increased my personal best by 23cm! Thats such a huge leap, almost unheard of and its been a big breakthrough for me. I knew that the world lead was 4.83m so I thought lets give it a go and on the second attempt I came down with the bar still standing. It shocked me and everyone else.

I knew that I needed the next pole up to get over the next height (4.83m). I hit all my marks and you can normally tell from the take off how it will go. As soon as I hit that take off I thought I could do it.

Having a good crowd made such a difference and I respond really well to the noise in the arena. It just elevates you.

To do this in an Olympic year, you must be thinking that anything is possible in this form.

I never want to take anything for granted as Ive had my fair share of injuries. Im just trying to take things day by day but I cant help but get excited because I realise Im in good shape. I want to hold on to, and maybe build a little bit, the feeling Ive got right now throughout the year. If so, then Ill be in a great position going into the Olympics.

For anyone who doesnt know, whats the impact of going up a pole in pole vault?

In pole vault there are different lengths and stiffness levels for the poles. It can get quite confusing! Towards the latter end of the competition, you need something stiffer to catapult you into the air a little bit more. That takes a bit more speed and confidence the latter is definitely something Ive built more of training in South Africa.

So, whats the training been like for you in South Africa?

South Africa was amazing and I personally love warm weather training. I think it sets you up so nicely for the year and gets you out of your normal environment. Your sole focus is training and there are no distractions. With the warmth and the sun you can push yourself an extra 1% and thats greater than youd do in the UK this time of the year.

I was a bit conservative in South Africa and didnt want to push myself too much. But Im in good shape. My body feels great and my speed was also good. I didnt realise how great that was until my opening competition!

Have you worked on anything specifically that you worked on at the back end of 2023 that youve brought into 2024?

To be honest, this has been my first winters training for so long. In previous winters, Ive been riddled with injury. Two years ago I had the accident with my finger and last year I had two surgeries which I had to come through.

This winter, Ive not only been able to carry over the confidence from the World Championships but also focus on things like speed work. In the world final I felt slightly out of place in Budapest but I think Im slowly starting to say to myself that this is where I belong. Thats a really nice feeling.

Could you explain more about those previous injuries?

The finger injury happened on Christmas Eve [2021] and that was such a disappointing one as I was in really good shape then. I almost chopped my finger off and I was out for three months. It happened when I caught my finger between the rack and bar in the gym. Having three surgeries on that was just a bit of nightmare but I stayed positive and worked on my weaknesses, which helped in the long run.

I had a good Commonwealth Games and European Championships in 2022 but had some Achilles pain in the season so had surgery in September and that was a six month rehab. Then I got back to training but had the same pain, so had another surgery in March, which was a shorter recovery of six weeks.

Then I had a miraculous turnaround by finishing fifth at the Worlds. I was still pole vaulting in my head and imagining competing when I was going through rehab. I was visualising non-stop and thats all I could see. When I returned to vaulting some of the things that I needed to work on almost disappeared because Id been visualising the perfect jump so much. It had a huge impact.

Was there almost an element of imposter syndrome in Budapest then?

Ive been saying this to a few people recently, and I never really understood the term [imposter syndrome] but Im just in shock that this is me and all of this is happening. I know that Im putting in the hard work but just to be rewarded for it is so weird! Ive always seen other people do well or get contracts and Ive never quite been there. Now suddenly, thats changed.

Now youve cleared 4.83m, do you think its a case of how high can I go?

Yeah a bit! I dont want to get ahead of myself just now and am focused on consolidating that 4.83m with some jumps between 4.70m and that mark. It was a clean jump and there is definitely more in the tank. If I can just fine tune a couple of things like gripping a little bit higher on the poles or going up to the next pole then who knows?

Have you looked at other pole vaulters as well like Mondo Duplantis or Katie Moon? Can you take aspects of what they do technically into your training?

Pole vault is such a unique discipline and theres such a large continuum and everyone does something different. Mondos technique is almost unteachable and hes a freak of nature! He does something that works for him but if you were to compare his jump to the perfect technical model, its not quite the same.

Then the US girls are so fast. Im maybe not as quick as them so my on-pole technique will probably have to be better to get to the same height right now. I do definitely take bits from other vaulters and put them into mine, just to make it a well-rounded combination.

How do you view the attention pole vaulting is getting now? It seems so popular.

When I look at it online and social media, posts about the pole vault are always popular. Then at championships there are so many people who want to get specific tickets for the pole vault. I think its taken a step on. The womens field right now is incredible and at the Worlds I think there was the highest qualification height to get into the final.

Then in the final, four girls cleared 4.80m. Its great for athletics. Mondos also done wonders for the mens event and I love the buzz that the pole vault brings to people at the moment.

Where youve come from, starting out in the pole vault for the first time, to where you are now; can you believe the journey that youve had?

I grew up in Cornwall until I was 18 and moved away for university. Its such a lovely community but it was quite small and the nearest indoor facilities were around three hours away. We battled through it and that helped me become who I am now!

When I started out at 11, looking at myself now, I wouldve been someone that I wouldve looked up to and thats nice to think. Younger me wouldve been so proud of myself. Its just been an unbelievable journey so far and Im really excited for the future because theres so much more to come.

What got you into pole vault in the first place then?

I tried a bit of everything as a kid. I did gymnastics until I was 11. Then I transitioned into athletics and started out in the multi-events so did a lot of hurdles and high jump. I filtered down into the pole vault and it was the event that I was the best at. So from 15 I solely focused on the pole vault and it went from there.

I wouldve loved to say I couldve been a heptathlete but I cant throw. Javelin wouldve been a nightmare! Then seeing how Ive got a lot friends who are heptathletes and seeing how they train is another thing!

Is the Olympics now the prime focus?

The Olympics is the one goal that every athlete has in their lives. I dont even have words for it. Just to be at the Olympics later this year is mind-blowing but then to realise the shape Im in gets me so excited. When I was a kid I remember watching the Games in Beijing 2008 when I was just eight years old. I cant wait to hopefully be a part of it!

I think European countries have such notorious crowds and they carry the athletes when we compete. I love being in front of such a big audience so hopefully that carries me through!

Whats the main goal for 2024? Is it a height, medal or do you just look at the process?

To be honest theres already a little tick on the height as a 4.80m+ clearance has always been on the radar! The main aim is the World Indoors, Europeans and then the Olympics. Id like to medal at the Europeans. The Olympics is a bit of a battle but lets get to the final and see what happens. I do like pressure situations and it brings out the best in me.

Youve got a big following on Instagram (166,000). How important is social media in inspiring the next generation but also being aware of the dangers?

Theres no hiding, whether we like it or not, social media is a huge part of the modern day. You can shy away or embrace it and I prefer the latter. I enjoy content creation and things like that. Its nice to give an insight into training and if that can inspire just one other person then thats amazing. If it can inspire every single person that follows me then even better!

There is the darker side to social media which I kind of turn a blind eye to it all. If there is a negative comment then I put it aside, dont let it affect me and rise above it.