CORNWALL’S Molly Caudery saw her bid for pole vault gold at the World Athletics Championships end in heartbreak after suffering a freak injury during warm-up in Tokyo.

The 25-year-old, crowned world indoor champion earlier this year, rolled her ankle when her left foot landed awkwardly on the edge of the mat following a routine run-through. The accident happened before she could attempt a single vault.

Caudery, visibly distressed, received medical treatment on the infield while fellow competitors offered words of comfort. With tears in her eyes, she covered her face before being taken away in a wheelchair, her competition over before it had begun.

Later, she posted a short message on social media: “Heartbroken… again.”

Truro-born Caudery had travelled to Tokyo hoping to build on her indoor triumph and erase memories of missing the Olympic final in Paris last year. Instead, she was left to confront another cruel setback.

Former Paralympic long jumper Stef Reid, speaking on BBC TV, said the accident was a painful reminder of sport’s unpredictability. “It’s just a freak accident. She’s done nothing wrong. The pole vault mats are meant to be soft, but she must have caught her ankle at a terrible angle. To see it end in tears is devastating. These opportunities don’t come around a lot.”

Five-time javelin medallist Steve Backley echoed the sentiment, calling it “so frustrating for Molly.”

He added: “It’s something she will have done thousands of times in training. You put your foot on an unstable surface and suddenly everything changes.”