Injuries and extreme heat mar Tokyo championships as key British bids end

Molly Caudery's bid for a world pole vault title ended before the competition began after she rolled her ankle in the warm‑up at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, while rising temperatures and humidity forced Britain's Emile Cairess to abandon the men's marathon with less than three miles remaining.

Caudery, the 2024 world indoor champion, planted her left foot into the landing mat after a run‑through and required medical attention. The 25‑year‑old received support from fellow athletes and was taken from the track in a wheelchair, visibly upset. British Para‑athlete Stef Reid said on BBC television that the incident was "just a freak accident," adding that Caudery had come to Tokyo hoping for a second chance after missing last year's Olympic final.

Veteran coach and former javelin medallist Steve Backley described the injury as "so frustrating," saying the movement Caudery was doing was one she would have executed many times in training and that it was "one of those injuries that you won't see coming." Only two athletes had bettered Caudery's season best of 4.85m this year.

In the men's marathon, Cairess, 27, withdrew by the roadside after the lead pack began to move out of reach. Temperatures of about 30C and high humidity in the Japanese capital continued to test competitors across disciplines. Cairess, who finished third in last year's London Marathon and was fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympics, said the conditions became "too hot" despite using ice and sponges at the on‑course stations and preparing specifically for the heat.

"I tried my best. I just got too hot, simple as that really," he said. "When I stopped, I just took ages to just feel all right again. I did a decent amount of preparation for the conditions... I've not known conditions like it, but this is only my fourth marathon. I did the best I could."

The men's race was decided in a dramatic sprint to the line as Tanzania's Alphonce Simbu edged Germany's Amanal Petros by 0.03 seconds, the smallest winning margin in a marathon at a global championships. Both were officially timed at two hours, nine minutes, 48 seconds.

There was further injury heartbreak for Britain's Sarah Tait in the women's 3,000m steeplechase when she fell at a water jump less than two minutes into her heat. The 24‑year‑old, who had lowered her personal best by more than 30 seconds this season to reach her first global championship, was unable to continue and left the track in tears in a wheelchair. Former world 1,500m champion Steve Cram said Tait had been in "the form of her life," calling the exit a "terrible way for it to end." Team‑mate Elise Thorner qualified for the final by finishing third in the heat.

The championships also lost a top sprinter when Julien Alfred of St. Lucia withdrew from the women's 200m after sustaining a grade‑one hamstring strain during the 100m final, in which she took bronze. Alfred's agent, Henry Rolle, told the Jamaican News Centre that rehabilitation had begun and the team would not risk further damage by running her in the 200m, with an eye toward 2026 for a return to full competition.

Organisers and athletes have repeatedly cited the heat and humidity as complicating factors throughout the meet, with several endurance events requiring extra medical and cooling provisions. While some competitors adapted and produced close finishes, others, including Caudery, Cairess and Tait, saw their championship ambitions curtailed by injury or the environmental conditions.

Competition officials, team staff and medical teams continued to monitor conditions and athlete welfare as the championships progressed. For some athletes, the championships will provide opportunities to regroup and target future events; for others, the immediate focus will be recovery and rehabilitation after abrupt and emotionally charged exits in Tokyo.