'It's just me, my pole and the bar' - Cornish pole vaulter Molly Caudery on Olympic debut

  • ITV News' Marina Jenkins spoke to Molly's family ahead of this year's games

A Cornish pole vaulter says it is her "lifelong dream" to be making her Olympic debut.

Molly Caudery is currently the world lead in the sport after winning gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in March where she also set three personal bests.

Now the 24-year-old is hoping to rise to the top in Paris and clinch a medal for Team GB.

Speaking to ITV News, Molly said: "Once I’m out there I’m not thinking about anything else in the outside world. It’s just me, my pole and the bar.

"There’s nothing else that can distract me. So honestly, just being an Olympian, that’s been my lifelong dream.

"I just want to go there and experience it, of course I want to try and win a medal and see what happens. But just to class myself as an Olympian is going to mean everything."

Molly's parents, Stuart and Barbara, at their family home in Redruth. Credit: ITV West Country

Her parents, Barbara Bannon and Stuart Caudery, are proud of what their daughter has achieved.

Stuart explains how Molly was focused from a young age: "From the age of 12, she would train four or five days a week and for couple hours a day.

"It would be gym work, running, pole vaulting, technical work. She just had that determination to go and get on with it."

At their family home in Redruth, Molly's mother recounts: "I remember once she did a competition, I think she was about 14, and it was up in Manchester. She was hoping to do really well.

"She didn’t do quite as well as she wanted to. Back at home, it was about 10pm, I went to her bedroom. She was up and was writing down everything she could do to make herself better, so that did not happen again."

Molly's success is inspiring the next generation of athletes. Credit: ITV West Country

Molly trained at Cornwall Athletics Club in Redruth between the ages of 10 and 18, one of only two clubs in the Duchy.

Her sporting success has been making a big impact, with membership increasing.

Neil Tunstall, a sprints and hurdles coach at the club, said: "We've definitely noticed a lot more interest and more people turning up to train and more people going to competitions.

"To think you can just come to your local club and suddenly become a world champion and then with the possibility of becoming an Olympic gold medalist, you know, it’s amazing."

Molly's father, Stuart, now runs a regular pole vaulting training session. Credit: ITV West Country

Molly father Stuart, says interest in pole vaulting has grown so much that he now coaches a regular training session: "I love coaching them and the energy they bring. It's why I come, because it’s great fun."

Sadie Whitehouse, aged 12, said: "I feel really happy that a girl from Cornwall can go and achieve what she has. I hope one day I can do that too."

"I like the technicalities of it, and the adrenaline and I just think it’s a lot of fun," commented Libby Straight, aged 14, who has recently taken up the sport.

Alfie Jones, aged 15, is competing in decathlons and wanted to add pole vaulting into the mix. He said: "In Cornwall, we’re quite isolated but Molly’s made it.

"We’ve got the feeling now that you can do it and that someone from Cornwall can do it, so other people can follow in her footsteps."

Everyone at the club, in Cornwall and beyond, will be cheering Molly on as she hopes to reach new heights at the Olympic Games.