Love powers athletics couple's Olympic hopes

From the high jump bar to the pole vault runway, British Athletics looks to have a new golden couple - and their love looks to be taking them to new heights. High jumper Joel Clarke-Khan and pole vaulter Molly Caudrey started their 2026 season off in winning style, both claiming gold at the Indoor Championships in Birmingham last month. Only three years ago, Clarke-Khan looked to have the world at his feet.

But a series of toe injuries, combined with the disappointment of missing out on the Olympics in 2024, left him questioning his future in the sport The 26-year-old, from Worcester, admitted he came close to walking away altogether. But those doubts are now a distant memory and he credited the encouragement of his fiancee, Caudery, as a key factor in his successful comeback. "Molly took off over the last few years and became pretty much one of the best pole vaulters in the world," he said.

"I almost went in the opposite direction. I lost form and confidence and that was a real struggle for me, especially the first few months to a year. " Clarke-Khan said Caudrey was a huge support to him through his loss of confidence [PA Media] For her part, Caudery said it could be tough balancing their relationship along with their athletics careers but they had to navigate it.

"I broke onto the scene and started doing very well and Joel had just broken his foot," the 25-year-old, from Truro, Cornwall, said. "I felt sorry for Joel but at the same time I felt ecstatic I'd just won the Indoor Championships. " As life partners and fellow competitors, the pair have shared the highs and lows of elite athletics together.