Sweden’s Duplantis sets world record, retains European pole vault title
Armand Duplantis of Sweden Photo: VCG
Sweden’s Armand “Mondo” Duplantis retained his European pole vault title in comprehensive fashion in Munich on Saturday.
Duplantis, fresh from breaking his own world record in Eugene when he took world gold with 6.21m in July, set a championship record of 6.06m for victory at the Olympic Stadium.
Germany’s Bo Kanda Lita Baehre took silver with a best of 5.85 meters, while Norway’s Pal Haugen Lillefosse took bronze (5.75).
Entering the continental spectacle, Duplantis was on an 18-race winning streak and was once again a class apart from a field that battled all the way in cool, damp conditions.
“Honestly, it was a great night. Given the situation and the circumstances, I can’t complain,” Duplantis said.
“I just focused on winning. Sometimes you have to cross the bar first and then you can celebrate and not before. I take everything step by step and I take what comes.”
“You need the things to really go your way to make things work the way they should.”
“Sometimes you can be very unlucky with all sorts of things but I’m just glad everything worked out the way it did tonight.”
“I think this season I’ve experienced all kinds of situations and these championships were very special for me.”
Duplantis came in at 5.65m, with two rivals already out of action.
The US-born Swede sailed over that mark, another trio of vaulters fell by the wayside and passed at 5.75m, as did France’s three-time European champion and former Olympic gold medalist Renaud Lavillenie.
The Frenchman faltered three times at 5.85 meters, while Duplantis flew over at that mark. Similar successes came at 5.90 and 5.95 meters.
Lita Baehre was by then out of the competition, so Duplantis had the bar raised to 6.06 meters.
The Swede readied himself, launched down the course and propelled himself clear to better by 1 centimeter the previous championship best he set when he won gold at the Berlin 2018 championships.
“That was the cherry on top,” Duplantis said.
Any thoughts of another attempt to better his own world record were short-lived, but Duplantis quickly told officials he had had enough.
“It didn’t seem like it was really in the cards today. Sometimes it is, it’s not every day. I feel like I jumped really well, I can’t complain,” he said in a statement.
Lita Baehre praised the presence of Duplantis.
“Having Mondo, the best of all time, in this competition is a blessing because when you beat him, you are the best of all time,” said the German.
“He is a blessing and I am grateful for this. I have not yet planned how to celebrate. Let’s see, it will be better with wine than beer.”
AFP