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British medal favourite Molly Caudery vowed to learn from her Olympic debut after crashing out of the qualification session with a no mark.
The reigning world indoor champion was the only entrant who elected to skip the 4.40 metres height attempt, electing to enter at 4.55.
It was a decision that proved costly when she failed to clear the bar with her three tries, particularly after it turned out 4.40 was all it took for nine other women to advance.
She told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s honestly heart-breaking.
“Not the experience I was hoping for and I am so sorry for everyone back home. I wish I could have done better, but I am going to try learn from this and I will take everything I can from it.
“I felt great, the best shape of my life. I didn’t feel too nervous I love a big crowd. I don’t know why, but it wasn’t my day and I’ll use this as an experience to learn from it and to try move on.
“Thank you to everyone for their support.”
Caudery is a hugely popular athlete amongst the British team both past and present, many singling her out as one to watch in Paris.
Coming into these Games, she was certainly a strong contender for the podium, if not Olympic gold.
In June, the 24-year-old set a new British record with a personal best of 4.92 in Toulouse – the world-leading mark heading into these Olympics – but was well off the mark in Paris, where she did not get enough forward momentum with her final chance, clipping the bar with her foot as she descended.
The Truro athlete entered the Games ranked world number three, behind Australia’s Nina Kennedy and the United States’ Katie Moon, who memorably shared gold at the 2023 world championships in Budapest.
She has cleared heights over 4.8 metres on eight occasions in 2024 and became European bronze medallist in 4.73, though only managed third place with 4.65 at the London Diamond League meet in July.
Caudery confessed: “I am currently in a bit of shock. I am so disappointed. I don’t have any excuse.”
Her exit came not long after she had consoled team-mate Holly Bradshaw, who with bronze in Tokyo became the first Briton to win a pole vault medal, but ruled herself out in what she had already declared to be her final Games after she was unable to make 4.40.
Caudery defended the decision to enter at 4.55, saying: “4.55m is a bar that I jump day in, day out. There is not one piece of doubt in my mind that I wasn’t going to clear it.
“Some people might say I came in too high, but that’s certainly not mine or my coach’s opinion.
“When I have been jumping 4.80 and 4.90 all year round, 4.55 shouldn’t have been a problem. It is just a really unfortunate day.”
Bradshaw was also devastated to miss out, in tears as she was consoled by Caudery on the track and emotional as she spoke to Eurosport after her fourth and final Olympics came to a close, and paid tribute to her late father.
She said: “I’m just crushed. I knew this was going to be my last champs.
“I’ve only got a few competitions left, so I am heartbroken. It’s been a really hard year and I wanted to come out and do myself proud and I really feel like I haven’t.
“This is the first time I was pain-free all year, so I don’t really know what happened. I know it sounds daft, but the track and the environment and everything was too good and I was caught on the back foot, which is frustrating about pole vault.
“Mainly I just wanted to come out and do my dad proud. You know, he passed away in November, and I really hope that I did that even though it didn’t go well.
“The crowd really reminds me of London. it’s kind of fitting that that was the start of my journey and this is the end.
This is the first time I was pain-free all year, so I don't really know what happened— Holly Bradshaw
“You know, I really earned my place on this team. I fought really hard to get back and make it, and just to be here is a privilege and an honour and I’m trying to soak it up.
“My priority is to be a mum now, so I want to start a family with my husband.”
Amber Anning and Laviai Nielsen, both part of Great Britain’s bronze medal-winning mixed 4×400 relay team, advanced to the individual women’s 400 metres semi-finals, while Victoria Ohuruogu will have to fight her way out of the repechage.
Alastair Chalmers qualified for the men’s 400 metres hurdles semi-finals, while Jessie Knight progressed from the repechage to the women’s 400 metres hurdles semis.
Nick Percy and Lawrence Okoye’s discus campaigns came to a close after they did not reach the final.
