Before this year’s Olympics in Paris, Armand Duplantis left his name in the pole vault world record, breaking it with a 6.24-meter effort on Saturday in the first Diamond League event of the 2024 season.
At his first outdoor event of the year, Duplantis broke his own record of 6.23 metres, which he had established at the Eugene Diamond League finale in September. He did this with ease, clearing the bar before jumping off the sponge mat below and racing off in jubilation.
Duplantis, 24, was the only person to clear six metres at the Egret Stadium, and it was his eighth time breaking the global record.
With a second global indoor championship added to his remarkable résumé in March, the Olympic and two-time world outdoor winner is expected to go into his second Games in July and August as the clear favourite.