British Pole Vault Record Holder Faces Season-Ending Surgery
Molly Caudery, the British women's pole vault record holder with a mark of 4.92m, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season following emergency spinal surgery.
The 26-year-old world indoor champion underwent a microdiscectomy, a surgical procedure that involves removing part of a spinal disc, after experiencing a sudden "flare-up" last week.
As a result, Caudery will miss key upcoming events including this summer's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the European Championships in Birmingham.
Just last week, Caudery secured victory at the Diamond League meeting in Rome, achieving a season-best clearance of 4.80m.
"And just like that, my season is over. Absolutely heartbroken to even be writing this, missing out on yet another major champs and home games," she wrote on Instagram.
"Emergency spinal surgery wasn't on my 2026 bingo card."
Career Highlights and Recent Challenges
Caudery has previously earned a Commonwealth silver medal in 2022 and a European bronze in 2024. However, she faced setbacks at the 2024 Olympics in Paris where she failed to clear her opening height, and she missed the 2023 World Championships in Tokyo due to an ankle injury sustained during warm-up.
Details on Injury and Recovery
Caudery explained the circumstances leading to her surgery:
"I had a back flare-up last week that got worse quickly and immediate surgical intervention was needed to prevent any further damage,"
She confirmed that the surgery was successful and that her recovery process has now begun.
"The surgery was a success and my road to recovery starts today.
Really thought 2026 was going to be my year after heartbreak in Paris and Tokyo and everything in between, but just wanted to add another chapter in the autobiography before the comeback."
