In the season’s first Diamond League meeting, held in Xiamen, China, Armand Duplantis of Sweden set his eighth world record in pole vaulting. At just 24 years old, he cleared the bar at a historic 6.24 meters, putting him eight centimeters ahead of anyone else in the discipline. Not only did this underline his dominance, but it also showed that he had surpassed his competitors by more than 40 centimeters. Celebrating with his team and the crowd, Duplantis displayed his incredible talent as he effortlessly cleared every vault on his first attempt, even sailing over his record-breaking one.
As the Paris Olympic Games draw nearer, Duplantis has made it clear that he hasn’t yet reached his peak. In an interview with CNN in April, he expressed his desire to continue pushing himself and be dominant in the sport. Along with his world record-breaking performance, he hopes to win every competition and give his best at every meet. Meanwhile, Christian Coleman from the USA won the men’s 100 meters race, followed closely by fellow American Fred Kerley and Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake. In a thrilling women’s 200 meters race, 19-year-old Torrie Lewis surprised everyone by winning her first Diamond League victory, while USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson finished second after a strong push from the Australian contender.