TOKYO:

Sweden’s Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis set a new world record of 6.30 metres as he sensationally defended his world pole vault title in Tokyo on Monday.

Duplantis had already wrapped up the competition with a winning vault of 6.15m before raising the bar another 15cm.

The Swede went clear on his third attempt in what was his 14th world record in a discipline in which he is totally dominant. It was his fourth world record in 2025 alone.

After landing on the mat, the 25-year-old raced around the track before running into the stands and, flexing his muscles for the rapturous crowd, sought out his partner for a passionate kiss followed by a quick embrace of his parents.

A packed National Stadium loved it.

His rivals swarmed around him as he made his way back to the track, enveloped in a Swedish flag.

The victory sealed a third world outdoor title for Duplantis, who is also the two-time Olympic champion, three-time world indoor gold medallist and three-time European champion.

‘Knew I had it in me’ 

Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis took silver with a best of 6.00m and Australian Kurtis Marschall claimed bronze with a personal best of 5.95m, taking the medal on countback from American Sam Kendricks.

I am so happy, I cannot explain it,” Duplantis said.

“For the past two weeks I really enjoyed being in Tokyo. I have been enjoying everything so much. I feel the only way to leave Japan was to set the world record.

“I was feeling really good the whole day. I knew I had the record in me. If I have the right runway I know that everything is possible. I am glad it all worked out.”

Duplantis came in at the opening height of 5.55m, sailing well clear. He passed at 5.75m but Karalis opted to vault, and with success.

Duplantis passed at 5.90m and then went over at 5.95m to increase the pressure on his rivals as Karalis, Marschall, Kendricks, the French pair of Thibaut Collet and Renaud Lavillenie, Norway’s Sondre Mogens Guttormsen and Dutchman Menno Vloon all failed in their first attempts at that height.

Karalis, Kendricks and Marschall then all went clear at 5.95m.

Duplantis was straight back on the runway to go over at 6.00m, followed immediately by Karalis.

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The business end of the competition was now at its peak, the question being whether anyone could stay with the two best vaulters of the season.

Just Kendricks and Marschall had a shot left at the six-metre bar, but it proved too high for either, the Australian guaranteed bronze on countback from the American.

Duplantis cleared 6.10m and 6.15m at the first time of asking while Karalis failed on both his attempts, and an overly ambitious one at 6.20m, to consign himself to a silver medal.

Karalis with the fan 

All eyes turned to the scoreboard to see what new height Duplantis would ask for. A hum came from the stands as 6.30m flashed up.

Duplantis went close on his first effort. Karalis turned helper in between vaults, holding an electronic fan to cool down Duplantis in stifling conditions.

The Swede’s second attempt was even closer, his ribs tickling the bar to bring it down.

But then came his third, masterful effort. The crowd first hushed as Duplantis rested his pole on one shoulder as he eyed the bar.

He raised his hands in a clap and the crowd followed. Rhythmic clapping accompanied him. Speed on the runway aligned perfectly with the technically tricky challenges of pole and flight management and Duplantis celebrated as he fell to earth with another world record in the bag.

“As soon as I take off, from transition from the ground through the air, I know if the jump is going to be valid,” Duplantis said.

“I know if I’ve transferred enough energy or it’s not really going to work out. The run says it all, everything is about speed. As long as I have that right, I know it will work out for me.”

The gold netted him $70,000 in prize money from World Athletics, the world record a further $100,000.