Molly Caudery reclaimed her World Indoor pole vault title at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, clearing 4.85m on her second attempt to edge out Slovenia's Tina Sutej in a tense head-to-head contest that came down to the final bar.
The competition narrowed to a two-woman battle at 4.85m, with both Caudery and Sutej failing their first attempts. But the 25-year-old from Cornwall held her nerve on her second jump, sailing over the bar with clearance to spare, while Sutej was unable to clear the height with her remaining attempts, leaving Caudery to celebrate a second world indoor title.
Caudery's victory completed a remarkable redemption arc. After winning the world indoor title in Glasgow in 2024, she endured a difficult Olympic campaign in Paris where she failed to make the final. She has spoken openly about the mental challenges of rebounding from that disappointment, making this gold medal all the more meaningful to the British athlete.
The competition took place on the final day of the championships and served as a fitting climax to a golden weekend for British athletics. Caudery's title was Great Britain's fourth gold of the championships, following victories for Josh Kerr, Keely Hodgkinson, and Georgia Hunter Bell. The haul represented Britain's best ever performance at a World Indoor Championships.
Looking ahead, Caudery will target the outdoor season with renewed confidence. Her rivalry with Sweden's Angelica Bengtsson and the USA's Katie Moon is expected to produce fireworks at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where Caudery will aim to win her first outdoor global title and cement her status as the world's premier female vaulter.