Sweden’s Duplantis breaks world pole vault record


PTI, Feb 9, 2020, 12:19 PM IST

Paris: Armand Duplantis of Sweden set a world pole vault record of 6.17 metres at an indoor meeting in Poland.

Duplantis, the US-born 20-year-old who won silver at last year’s world championships in Doha, cleared the bar on Saturday on his second attempt in Torun to break the previous record of 6.16m set by French vaulter Renaud Lavillenie in February 2014.

“It’s something that I wanted since I was three years old,” Duplantis told the website of World Athletics.

“It’s a big year, but it’s a good way to start it.” Lavillenie, the 2012 Olympic champion, said he was not surprised his record had been eclipsed.

“It’s not a surprise. For two years now I knew he had the potential,” the 33-year-old Frenchman told RMC Sports after competing at a meeting in Rouen.

“Records are made to be beaten. He has got time on his side to definitely do even better and that’s a great thing.”

Duplantis had almost broken the record at a meeting in Duesseldorf on Tuesday. His performance marks him out as a clear favourite for the Olympic title in Tokyo this year.

Long considered the man most likely to push the event forward, Duplantis began breaking age group records aged seven.

He announced his prodigious talent to a wider audience when he won the European outdoor title in Berlin in 2018 with a vault of 6.05m, a world junior record.

Coached by his American father Greg – himself a former pole vaulter who cleared 5.80m – Duplantis was a product of a track and field-crazy family which had their own vaulting apparatus in the garden.

He competed for Louisiana State University in the United States last year.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Mangaluru: Lecturer succumbs to food allergy; Organs donated

Karnataka sets up panel for internal reservation among STs

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | Congress in clutches of urban naxals, became puppet of people with divisive agenda: J P Nadda

Even if Indira Gandhi returns from heaven, Article 370 will not be restored: Amit Shah

Tilak Varma slams ton as India take 2-1 lead against South Africa with 11-run win in third T20I

PM Modi to visit Bihar’s Jamui to commemorate Janjatiya Gaurav Divas

BJP offered Rs 50 cr each to 50 Cong MLAs to remove Karnataka govt: CM Siddaramaiah

Related Articles More

Tilak Varma slams ton as India take 2-1 lead against South Africa with 11-run win in third T20I

Pakistan should stop playing cricket with India, says Rashid Latif

I’ve found ways and means to break it down: Ashwin on Smith’s batting

Blind T20 WC: Indian team eyes clearance from MHA, MEA; Sports Ministry clears travel to Pakistan

Bumrah to lead, Rahul likely to open in Perth if Rohit does not make it: Gautam Gambhir

MUST WATCH

Punganur Cow

Rangoli design

Jagadeesh Nagaraj Kudupali Audio Viral

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali


Latest Additions

Vitla: Tree falls on truck, blocks Mani-Mysuru State Highway

Mangaluru: Lecturer succumbs to food allergy; Organs donated

Byelections: 81.84 per cent voter turnout in bypolls in three Assembly segments in Karnataka

Karnataka sets up panel for internal reservation among STs

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | Congress in clutches of urban naxals, became puppet of people with divisive agenda: J P Nadda

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.