Jessica Ennis-Hill backing Molly Caudery to win gold at ‘amazing’ Paris Olympics
Ennis-Hill also believes Katarina Johnson-Thompson could win heptathlon gold for Britain
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Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill believes Paris will stage an “amazing” Olympic Games and has tipped Molly Caudery to soar to a gold medal in the pole vault.
Caudery became world indoor champion in March and set a new British record on French soil at the weekend, clearing 4.92 metres to win the Toulouse Capitole Perche meet with the seventh-best jump of all time.
The 24-year-old, who won bronze in the European Championships earlier this month, had recorded the world’s best height with a clearance of 4.86m in February.
Holly Bradshaw set the previous British record of 4.90m in 2021.
“I think it’s going to be an amazing Games, I think we’ve got some great medal prospects,” former Olympic heptathlon champion Ennis-Hill said at the launch of Eurostar’s first Golden Train, which will transport athletes and spectators between London and Paris.
“I think Molly Caudery in the pole vault is looking incredible. She’s already jumped a personal best, a British record and the world lead. It’s going to be a great Games for her so I’m really excited to see her perform.
“And obviously the heptathlon as well. We’ve got Katarina Johnson-Thompson who has had an incredible couple of years, double world champion, heading into her fourth Olympics.
“I think it’s her time to really shine and bring home that gold medal.”
Johnson-Thompson pulled out of the heptathlon in the European Championships after three events due to a “small niggle in her right leg”, but Great Britain came away from Rome with four gold medals, including two for sprinter Dina Asher-Smith in the 100m and 4x100m relay.
“Dina’s had a great start to her season and from her previous performances that is only going to fuel her and make her want to do even better,” her former Great Britain team-mate Perri Shakes-Drayton said.
“As athletes we want to be winners. We come on that track or we come in that pool at the start line to win.”
Double Paralympic gold medallist Maisie Summers-Newton is relishing the chance to compete so close to home after winning the 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke titles in Tokyo three years ago.
“I’m so excited to board the Eurostar in two months’ time,” Summers-Newton, who recently lowered her own world record in the 200m individual medley, said.
“I think with it being in London and then it going to Paris it’s going to be so close to home. Having all the support from home is going to be amazing and kind of like a home Games in a sense.”
::: Eurostar is the most sustainable way to travel in Europe, which is why the Olympic and Paralympic Games start and finish with Eurostar. Eurostar will support the teams and those visiting the Games to reduce their carbon footprint whilst travelling to the continent and back.