Duplantis set his eighth world record at the Diamond League opener in Xiamen, China, clearing 6.24 metres on his first attempt with room to spare.
The Swede added one centimetre to the record he set at last year’s Diamond League Final in Eugene. He did so in a confident and almost effortless manner. The 24-year-old opened the competition with a first attempt of 5.62m, then returned at 5.82m and went over again on the first attempt.
Only Sam Kendricks was left of his rivals at this point, as the bar went up to six metres. Duplantis cleared the bar on his first attempt, but the American was eliminated after three failures.
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The stage was then set for Duplantis to go for his own world record. Like Sergey Bubka – who set no less than 35 pole vault world records – he always adds an extra centimetre to his previous mark. Despite not being at his best during the indoor season, ‘Mondo’ showed why he is the dominant pole vaulter of his era in China.
On his first attempt at 6.24m, in his first outdoor competition of 2024, Duplantis cleared the bar with ease. His height as he crossed was measured at 6.29m, showing that there is undoubtedly more to come in this Olympic year.
Fibreglass poles have been used for the last two decades, but it was only in 2014 that Renaud Lavillenie cleared 6.16m, beating the record set by Bubka in 1993. Duplantis has taken pole vaulting to even greater heights, having set his first world record of 6.17m in Torun in 2020, and has now added seven centimetres to that mark.
Speaking after his latest historic achievement, Duplantis said: “I didn’t know exactly how my body was going to react, but it definitely felt like it was within reach after that six-metre bar.”
Asked if he could break the world record again this year, he replied: “It’s definitely possible if the conditions are right. I’ll try to make the most of every day. There’s definitely more to give. I’m sure I’ve still got a few more heights in me, as long as everything is in the right place.”
Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis, who will defend his Olympic title in Paris this summer, is entered for the second Diamond League meeting in Suzhou, China, next Saturday.
