In a historic feat, Sweden’s Armand Duplantis set his eighth world record in pole vaulting at the season’s first Diamond League meeting in Xiamen, China. At just 24 years old, he cleared the bar at 6.24 meters, putting him eight centimeters ahead of anyone else in the discipline. Not only did Duplantis underline his dominance with this impressive performance, but he also surpassed his competitors by more than 40 centimeters.
As he celebrated with his team and the crowd, Duplantis showed off his talent by clearing every vault on his first attempt, even sailing over his record-breaking one. Despite this incredible accomplishment, the Paris Olympic Games are still on the horizon and Duplantis isn’t satisfied yet. In an interview with CNN in April, he expressed his desire to continue pushing his limits and be dominant in the sport.
Along with Duplantis’ world record-breaking performance, Christian Coleman from the USA won the men’s 100 meters, followed closely by his compatriot Fred Kerley and Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake. In a thrilling women’s 200 meters race, 19-year-old Torrie Lewis surprised everyone by winning her first Diamond League victory, while USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson finished second after a strong push from the Australian contender.