Sports
Sensational Duplantis soars to new pole vault world record | The Express Tribune
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.
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.
The San Francisco Giants, suddenly back in the playoff race with two weeks remaining in the regular season, are calling up top prospect Bryce Eldrige, a source confirmed to ESPN on Monday.
Eldridge, a 20-year-old first baseman who was No. 29 in the latest prospect rankings by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, will seemingly take on the role vacated by fellow left-handed hitter Dominic Smith, who went on the injured list with a hamstring strain over the weekend.
The 16th overall pick out of high school in 2023, Eldridge surged in Double-A at the start of the season and was slashing .249/.322/.514 with 18 homers, 88 strikeouts and 28 walks for the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate. His strikeout rate remained high of late, but his production improved over these past 17 games, during which he boasted a .294 batting average with 10 extra-base hits.
The Giants had been using Rafael Devers at both first base and designated hitter, with Smith and the right-handed-hitting Wilmer Flores essentially platooning at the other spot. Eldridge will seemingly take on Smith’s role for the stretch run, while hoping to push the Giants toward an unlikely playoff spot.
After acquiring Devers in the middle of June, the Giants went 13-22 heading into the trade deadline at the end of July, prompting the front office to deal veteran players. As of Aug. 22, the Giants were seven games below .500 and 7½ games out of the final wild-card spot, but they have since won 14 of 20 games and currently trail the slumping New York Mets by only 1½ games with 13 remaining.
The San Francisco Chronicle first reported Eldridge’s callup.
ABU DHABI: India secured their spot in the Super Four of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 after the UAE crush Oman at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday.
The result confirmed India’s qualification, as the men in blue top Group A with two wins in two matches.
India opened their campaign with a victory over UAE before defeating arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday. With four points and a net run-rate of 4.793, they lead the table comfortably.
Pakistan and UAE are tied on two points each, but Pakistan hold second place thanks to a superior net run-rate of 1.649 compared to UAE’s -2.030.
After today’s defeat, Oman also crashed out of the tournament, remaining winless with a poor net run-rate of -3.375.
India will conclude their group stage campaign against Oman on Friday in Abu Dhabi, while Pakistan will face UAE in Dubai on Wednesday in what could be a virtual knockout for the second Super Four spot from Group A.
Batting first on Monday, UAE openers Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu got their side off to a flying start.
The pair brought up a fifty-run stand inside the powerplay and pushed the score to 81-0 at the halfway mark with aggressive stroke play.
Sharafu reached his 10th T20I half-century before being bowled by Jiten Ramanandi for 51 off 38 balls. Asif Khan fell soon after, but skipper Waseem held the innings together.
The UAE captain registered his 24th T20I fifty and became the first Emirati batter to surpass 3,000 runs in T20 cricket. He scored a composed 69 off 54 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes, before departing in the final over.
Cameos from Mohammad Zohaib (21 off 13) and Harshit Kaushik (19* off 8) helped UAE post a competitive 172-5 in 20 overs.
Oman’s chase stumbled from the outset. Junaid Siddique struck in the first over to remove Aamir Kaleem for two, and then dismissed skipper Jatinder Singh (20 off 10) in his next over to leave Oman reeling at 23-2.
Haider Ali and Mohammad Rohid kept the pressure on with quick wickets, reducing Oman to 50-5 inside seven overs.
Aryan Bisht (24 off 32) and wicketkeeper Vinayak Shukla (20 off 17) offered some resistance with a 38-run stand, but Jawadullah ended their partnership and added another scalp soon after.
Junaid returned to finish the job, dismissing Shukla and Hassnain Shah in the same over to complete brilliant figures of 4-23. Oman were eventually bowled out for 130 in 18.4 overs, handing UAE a convincing 42-run victory.
Skipper Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu struck attacking half-centuries to lead United Arab Emirates to a thumping 42-run win over Oman in the Asia Cup on Monday.
Waseem, who hit 69, and Sharafu, who made 51, put on 88 runs for the opening wicket to guide hosts UAE to a challenging 172-5 in Abu Dhabi.
The home bowlers then combined to dismiss Oman for 130 in 18.4 overs for their first win in this edition of the regional tournament played in the T20 format.
Medium-pace bowler Junaid Siddique stood out with figures of 4-23. Haider Ali and Muhammad Jawadullah took two wickets each.
The batters had set up victory. Waseem and Sharafu started cautiously but soon took the attack to the opposition with a flurry of boundaries.
Sharafu fell for his 51 but Waseem kept up the charge and reached fifty with a six. The captain was run out in the final over.
UAE play Pakistan, who went down to tournament favourites India in a key match, next on Wednesday with the winner likely to move into the Super Four stage of the eight-nation event.
Oman were never in the chase and lost five wickets for 50 runs with captain and opener Jatinder Singh scoring 20 as they slumped to a second straight defeat.
Defending champions India, who won the previous edition played in a 50-overs format, lead the table in Group A with two wins in two matches are nearly through to the next stage.
Along with regional bragging rights, the competition will serve as a build-up towards the T20 World Cup in February-March in India and Sri Lanka.
Luciane Buchanan reveals rare truth about exiting ‘The Night Agent’
The Moccamaster Is Built for a Lifetime—and You Can Save $40 Right Now
How to ensure high-quality synthetic wireless data when real-world data runs dry
-
Tech1 week agoPsychological Tricks Can Get AI to Break the Rules
-
Tech1 week agoUndersea cables cut in the Red Sea, disrupting internet access in Asia and the Mideast
-
Tech1 week agoThe Best Phones You Can’t Officially Buy in the US
-
Tech1 week agoThe New Math of Quantum Cryptography
-
Fashion1 week agoItaly’s Brunello Cucinelli posts €684.1 mn H1 revenue, profit up 16%
-
Fashion1 week agoUS Upland cotton sales up 36%, Pima down this week: USDA
-
Fashion1 week agoSri Lanka’s garment exports rise 9% to $2.85 bn in Jan-Jul 2025
-
Business1 week agoWhat to know about the Hyundai-LG plant immigration raid in Georgia