In a dramatic series of events at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing on March 22, 2025, French pole vaulter Marie-Julie Bonnin claimed gold with a remarkable clearance of 4.75 meters, leaving Great Britain's Molly Caudery just shy of the podium with a fourth-place finish. The competition was marked by significant technical issues, which disrupted the rhythm and flow of the athletes competing.
Bonnin, who had previously won a bronze medal at the European Indoors just weeks prior, matched the French national record set by Ninon Guillon-Romarin. She reported afterward, "I cannot believe it. It's like a dream. I feel like we were there for a medal, but not the gold." Her achievement was particularly sweet as she had not anticipated such success just two months ago. "We weren’t sure that we were going to jump here two months ago. We didn’t expect it to go this well, but we tried, and I’m so proud that we made the right choice," she added.
Caudery, the reigning champion who had hoped to defend her title in Nanjing, cleared 4.70 meters on her second attempt but fell short on her subsequent try at 4.75 meters, which ultimately left her finishing fourth. "I'm really disappointed. I wanted to come out here after last year and do something, and I know that I'm in shape to do something," Caudery said, clearly affected by the day's events.
The event was marred by technical problems that included a malfunctioning bar-lifting mechanism, resulting in delays of around 40 minutes during the competition. "It’s tough but that's championships for you," Caudery remarked, revealing the psychological toll these interruptions took on the athletes. She noted, "If there is an hour wait in the middle of the competition when it’s getting to those medal bars – the really important bars – it shouldn’t be happening at a competition like this." Despite claiming to be mentally prepared, Caudery noted that the interruptions disrupted her rhythm, making it difficult to maintain focus. "I feel a bit flat, to be honest," she confessed after her performance.
Alongside Bonnin's gold, Slovenia's Tina Sutej and Switzerland's Angelica Moser both secured silver and bronze medals respectively, each having cleared a height of 4.70 meters. Both athletes had the advantage over Caudery as they achieved their heights in their first attempts, showcasing a level of consistency that eluded the defending champion.
Leading up to the championships, Caudery had been optimistic. She had previously set a personal season's best of 4.85 meters and even broke Holly Bradshaw's national record with a jump of 4.92 meters to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, the recent indoor season had been inconsistent, reflecting her struggles to maintain the performance levels she had previously reached. Caudery aimed for redemption this year after failing to qualify for the Olympic final last summer despite once being a favorite.
Bonnin’s surprise win comes against the backdrop of Caudery’s preparations, which included withdrawing from the European indoors just weeks earlier to focus specifically on her title defense. "It hasn’t been a perfect indoors. It’s disappointing to say the least, but everything is a learning curve," Caudery explained. "I felt really good. I don’t know what I could have gone on to jump without those technical difficulties, but there is no point thinking about that."
Looking towards the future, both athletes expressed hopes and aspirations for upcoming competitions. Bonnin's triumph has set a high bar for her performance, and with the Paris Olympics just around the corner, she has lifted her profile significantly. Meanwhile, Caudery's fourth-place finish serves as a motivator as she prepares for more significant events later in the year, particularly the World Championships slated for Tokyo in September. "I had some really good attempts at 4.75m, but it has been a rocky indoors, without the consistency I would have liked, so lots to learn but I am moving on to the next one," Caudery stated, ready to put this experience behind her.
As for the other events at the World Indoor Championships, spectators can look forward to more exhilarating competitions, including the finals of the men’s and women’s 60 meters, men’s and women’s 3,000 meters, and several field events. For now, the spotlight shines brightly on Bonnin, who has thrilled fans with her unexpected yet well-deserved victory.
