Road to Paris: Caudery sets new national record

News 25 Jun 24

With the Paris 2024 Olympics now just a month away, British athletes have been busy stamping tickets to the Games.

From skateboarders to sport climbers, athletes were battling it out to do what was required to be part of next month's party while others were demonstrating they are getting better than ever.

Here are the moments you need to know about from another week on the Road to Paris.

Caudery soars to pole vault glory

Molly Caudery quite literally reached new heights as she recorded a new British record at the Toulouse Capitole Perche pole vault street event in France.

The wet conditions did nothing to dampen the rising star’s performance as she cleared a world-leading mark of 4.92m to beat Holly Bradshaw’s previous record of 4.90m.

The 24-year-old dispelled any disappointment of a bronze place finish at the European Championships in Rome last month to improve her lifetime best by 6cm.

But this is not the first time the Cornish native has achieved a world lead - she did so in February this year at an early-season meet in Rouen - before going on to become Britain’s first world indoor champion in the event at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

While she failed to clear a single attempt at 5.00m at the event on Saturday - the world record sits at 5.06m - her winning jump was the seventh-best jump of all time.

A PB, British Record and World Lead in one weekend proves Caudery is in fantastic form ahead of the UK Championships this weekend.

What they said:

"It’s more fire in the belly," said Caudery after her bronze medal at the European Championships in Rome.

“It just shows that not everything goes to plan all the time [but] this is a medal at the European Championships.

"It will still be up on my little shrine, it may not be at the very centre, but it will still be up there.”

What’s next:

Now is the ideal time to be in near-perfect form ahead of the UK Athletics Championships in Manchester this weekend and the next Diamond League meeting which looms on 7th July in Paris.

Skateboarders prove age is just a number

It was a hat-trick of successes for GB’s skateboarders Sky Brown, Lola Tambling and Andrew MacDonald who all qualified named quota places for the Olympics at the Qualifier Series in Budapest.

Brown made history by becoming the youngest summer medallist at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, claiming bronze at her maiden Olympics aged just 13.

She battled through a knee injury to secure her qualification while Tambling, 16, qualified as one of the top 22 skaters despite not competing in Sunday’s final.

But 50-year-old father of three MacDonald, who turned pro in 1994, has found himself in the spotlight for more than just his skills on the board.

Since skateboarding only made its debut at the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2020, MacDonald has waited almost four decades for the chance to compete in the GB vest. Now the wait is over.

When Paris dawns MacDonald will be 51, making him the oldest competitor, but given he holds the record for winning the most X Games vert titles he promises to be a must-watch competitor.

What they said:

Brown said: “I didn’t use all my tricks and I'm saving some for Paris too which is definitely a confidence boost.”

"A combination of luck and the stars and planets aligning. I'm 50 years old and going to the Olympics as a skateboarder. Who would have thought it?," said MacDonald.

"It's pretty surreal, it's amazing - such a happy moment."

What’s next:

Skateboarding will take place at the famous Place de La Concorde in the heart of Paris, with the Olympic competition kicking off on 27th July.

The dog dad bound for Paris

Switzerland’s picturesque mountainscape made for beautiful scenery but brutal terrain for athletes competing at this year’s Mountain Bike World Cup in Crans-Montana.

Luckily Britain’s Olympic and world champion Tom Pidcock had his two sausage dogs - Chestnut and Acorn - on hand to provide the moral support he needed to clinch two wins in just over 24 hours.

The 24-year-old claimed short track gold on Saturday and swiftly followed this up with a victory in the cross-country Olympic discipline, winning by more than a minute despite a nervy start.

Pidcock is no stranger to the podium having won gold at his first Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 after recovering from a broken collarbone just weeks before.

Paris offers the chance for the Yorkshire native to defend this title alongside challenging for another medal in the road event.

What they said:

“It was really tricky in the first few laps to find my own rhythm," said Pidcock.

"We were getting in each other’s way and making each other make mistakes - it was a bit frustrating.

"Then I got my gap and my own rhythm and I tried to relax."

What’s next:

Pidcock has little time to rest his legs - less than a week in fact - before he lines up on the start line of the Tour de France where he will look to better his 13th-place overall finish last year.

Strength in numbers

Although this summer is only the second time climbing will feature at the Olympics, Britain will have four athletes competing for medals, including Toby Roberts who qualified in 2023.

Erin McNeice, Hamish McArthur and Molly Thompson-Smith all secured their named quota places for Paris at the Olympic Qualifying Series in Budapest last weekend, meaning Britain will have a record number of athletes competing in the event in Paris.

It will be an Olympics debut for all four athletes, but particularly special for 26-year-old Molly Thompson-Smith who narrowly missed qualifying for Tokyo and battled through training after breaking her ankle last year.

What they said:

“I’m not sure when it will sink in,” said Erin McNeice. “This season has already been incredibly surreal. It feels like I’ve skipped a few steps to get here but I feel as though I’m beginning to prove myself.

“Today was pretty indescribable but I can’t wait to compete in Paris.”

What’s next:

All eyes now turn to Paris, where the competition kicks off with the men’s boulder and lead on 5th August.

Sportsbeat 2024

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