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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.
Sports
NTSB says pilot in fatal North Carolina plane crash that killed NASCAR’s Greg Biffle not yet identified
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The pilot of the deadly plane crash in North Carolina that killed former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family has not been identified more than 24 hours later, officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Friday.
NTSB board member Michael Graham spoke to the media about the preliminary findings of its investigation into Thursday’s crash that killed all seven people aboard a flight headed to the Bahamas.
Greg Biffle #69 kisses his daughter with Cristina Grossu looking on before climbing into his car during the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience event at Slinger Speedway on July 10, 2021 in Slinger, Wisconsin. (Logan Riely/SRX via Getty Images)
According to Graham, three people aboard the Cessna C550 were licensed pilots but officials were not able verify as of Friday who was piloting the flight.
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“This is the beginning of very long process and we will not jump to any conclusions while on scene here in North Carolina nor will we jump to any conclusions,” Graham said of the entirety of the investigation
The plane was owned by GB Aviation Leasing LLC, according to federal aviation records. The company is owned by Biffle, who was rated to fly helicopters and single and multi-engine planes.
Biffle, 55, was killed alongside his wife, Cristina, and children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14. Three other people killed onboard were identified as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
Greg Biffle celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, on Oct. 3, 2010. (Orlin Wagner, File/AP Photo)
RACING WORLD REMEMBERS FORMER NASCAR DRIVER GREG BIFFLE AFTER DEADLY PLANE CRASH
The seven-person flight was making its way to the Bahamas via Sarasota, Florida, when it crashed at Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte. NTSB Investigator-In-Charge Dan Baker said the plane took off at approximately 10:05 a.m. ET and began to turn back to the airport five minutes after take off.
The plane crashed roughly 10 minutes after departure.
Officials did not provide a cause and noted that weather conditions were relatively calm despite light rain. Graham said a preliminary report would be released in 30 days and full investigation could take anywhere between 12–18 months before a final report is released.
Greg Biffle is introduced during driver introductions before a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on July 5, 2015. (Terry Renna, File/AP Photo)
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According to officials, the plane’s black box was recovered from the crash scene and is en route to Washington, D.C., where it will be analyzed.
Greg Biffle, 55, won more than 50 races across NASCAR’s three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. He also won the Trucks Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002.
NASCAR called Biffle “a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has backed Viktor Gyökeres to take his game to another level in the second half of the season.
The 27-year-old has scored just six goals in 19 appearances across all competitions and attracted criticism for his peripheral display in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Wolves.
Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Everton, Arteta was asked to assess Gyökeres’ first few months at the club following a €73 million ($85.5m) summer move from Sporting Lisbon.
“The level of attention on him hasn’t changed since when he signed to today,” Arteta said. “It is normal. Everybody was so excited to bring a nine into the club. We did it. We brought a player with an incredible goalscoring record who had to adapt to the league. He had no preseason.
“The first few weeks were difficult because physically he wasn’t in his best state and he is a player who needs that like any other player in this league almost to perform at that level. Then he kicked on, he had a really good period and he got injured.
“Now, I saw a lot of positive things in the last two games that he’s done. We need to continue to tweak and understand him a little bit better in certain situations and he needs to do the same. But that’s about time and we have full support for him.”
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Pushed on whether the best was yet to come for Gyökeres, Arteta replied: “I think so, yes. You can imagine the global impact that you are going to have to deal with when you come to a big club and the expectation is as it is.
“But after you have to live it. Living it is always slightly different to your imagination. He is doing it with a lot of desire. His energy level, his commitment is absolutely top and we are all here to help him because we have all been here, we all need time, there are always moments where the strikers score more goals or less goals. We need to be there for him.”
Arteta confirmed Ben White is out for “a few games” with a hamstring injury while Gabriel Magalhães is “pushing hard” for a return to action following a groin problem.
Kai Havertz is also nearing a return from a knee problem but Arteta refused to reveal the target date for his comeback.
“I don’t want to say because especially after such a long time after the rehab, I think we need to be cautious and we need to go really firmly with every step that we take along the way to make sure that when he’s back, he’s back and he’s back for the long term,” Arteta said.
“He’s progressing really well and quite fast in the last few weeks. We are really positive that if everything continues like that in the next training sessions, he’s going to be with us.”
The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball championship runs from Dec. 18-21 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Texas A&M will face off against Kentucky in the final.
In 2024, Penn State defeated Louisville to take home the title. Stanford has the most all-time championships, with nine titles to its name. Penn State takes second place with eight, followed by Nebraska in third with five.
Check out the all-time winners list for the NCAA women’s volleyball championship below:
2024: Penn State
2023: Texas
2022: Texas
2021: Wisconsin
2020: Kentucky
2019: Stanford
2018: Stanford
2017: Nebraska
2016: Stanford
2015: Nebraska
2014: Penn State
2013: Penn State
2012: Texas
2011: UCLA
2010: Penn State
2009: Penn State
2008: Penn State
2007: Penn State
2006: Nebraska
2005: Washington
2004: Stanford
2003: Southern California
2002: Southern California
2001: Stanford
2000: Nebraska
1999: Penn State
1998: Long Beach State
1997: Stanford
1996: Stanford
1995: Nebraska
1994: Stanford
1993: Long Beach State
1992: Stanford
1991: UCLA
1990: UCLA
1989: Long Beach State
1988: Texas
1987: Hawai’i
1986: Pacific
1985: Pacific
1984: UCLA
1983: Hawai’i
1982: Hawai’i
1981: Southern California
For more NCAA updates, check out the ESPN hub page with scores, rankings and more.
NTSB says pilot in fatal North Carolina plane crash that killed NASCAR’s Greg Biffle not yet identified
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