British pole vault record holder Molly Caudery has been ruled out for the rest of the season following emergency spinal surgery.
The 26-year-old world indoor champion required a microdiscectomy – a procedure to remove part of a spinal disc – after experiencing a “flare-up” last week.
He will miss this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the European Championships in Birmingham.
Last week, Caudery won the Diamond League in Rome with a season-best 4.80 meters.
“And just like that, my season is over. I’m absolutely heartbroken writing this, missing out on other great champions and home games,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Emergency spine surgery wasn’t on my 2026 bingo card.”
Caudery won a Commonwealth silver medal in 2022 and a European bronze in 2024.
He failed to surpass his starting height at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and missed last year’s World Championships in Tokyo after injuring his ankle in the warm-up.
“Last week I had a back attack that worsened rapidly and immediate surgery was necessary to prevent further damage,” Caudery said.
“The surgery was a success and my road to recovery begins today.
“I really thought 2026 was going to be my year after the heartbreak in Paris and Tokyo and everything else, but I just wanted to add another chapter in the autobiography before the return.”