Sweden’s Armand Duplantis retained his world men’s pole vault title in Budapest on Saturday, going close on three occasions in a bid to better his own world record.
Duplantis finished with a best vault of 6.10 metres. Ernest John Obieno of the Philippines took silver with 6.00m, while Australian Kurtis Marschall and American Chris Nilsen shared bronze (5.95m).
Duplantis sailed clear at the opening mark of 5.55m, skipped 5.75 and went over with a lot to spare at 5.85.
Only four other vaulters from the 12-strong field went clear at 5.85m: France’s Thibaut Collet (for a personal best), Marschall, Obiena and Nilsen, the latter on the third time of asking.
Obiena, Collet and Nilsen then cleared 5.90m as Duplantis opted not to compete at that height.
Marschall failed once at that height, but skipped successfully straight to a personal best of 5.95. Collet mirrored the Australian’s strategy as the bar was raised to the mythical 6.00m mark.
Duplantis flew over that height easily, as did Obiena on his second effort for what was an Asian record.
But it proved more problematic for the remaining vaulters, Collet first out to maintain France’s medal-less championships, swiftly followed by Marschall and Nilsen.
The bar was raised to 6.05m, posing no problem for Duplantis. Obiena, however, failed with his first attempt and opted to have the bar go up to 6.10m.
US-born Swede Duplantis made no mistake, showing real emotion on landing for the first time in realisation that gold was likely his.
That became a reality after Obiena failed in his bid at that height.
The question left was whether Duplantis would try to better his own world record of 6.22m, set indoors in France in February.
He went close on his three bids but was still assured of a second world gold, a sixth successive title.
