Armand Duplantis soars to new high following world record

Armand Duplantis dominates men's pole vault at Lausanne Diamond League meet, setting new meet record at 6.15 meters.

Armand Duplantis picked up from where he left off at his world record-setting, gold medal-winning showing at the Paris Olympics by dominating the men's pole vault at the Lausanne Diamond League meet on Wednesday (August 22, 2024).

The meeting is the first on the World Athletics' elite circuit since the end of the Paris Games. Duplantis defended his Olympic gold in the Stade de France in some style, improving his own world record to 6.25 meters.

In Lausanne, the Swede took part in a city event held on an esplanade bordering Lac Leman — better known in English as Lake Geneva — 24 hours before the main fare at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise.

The runway was raised off the tiled walkway, with thousands of fans packed in just meters away. The bar and landing mat were placed under a circular tarpaulin, with big screens allowing yet more passersby a view of events. It was once again Duplantis streets ahead of the competition, winning with a best vault of 6.15 meters.

"I'm really happy about it. I had a really good time. It was really nice to step out on the track," Duplantis said.

"I don't want to say that I was worried, but it's always a bit of a question mark, I guess, the next meet after something like the Olympics, mentally.

"The past two weeks, it's been hard to wake up. Not in a mental way, not in that way, but very tired mentally, just exhausted, even this morning." Duplantis said the difference between winning Olympic gold at the Stade de France and winning a city event was miles apart but bizarrely comparable.