Duplantis sets new pole vault world record

Armand Duplantis competes in the men’s pole vault competition during the Silesia Diamond League meeting on Sunday. (Keystone/AP Photo)

CHORZOW: Armand Duplantis and Jakob Ingebrigtsen thrilled the crowd on Sunday when they set world records at the Silesia Diamond League meeting.

Duplantis celebrated in his usual exuberant style after setting a new pole vault record of 6.26 meters, less than three weeks after he last broke the record while defending his Olympic title in Paris.

The 24-year-old Swede was congratulated by Polish President Andrzej Duda, who entered the court and shook his hand.

“Everything came together to make me do this,” said Duplantis, whose first world record was also set in Poland in February 2020.

“I know a lot of people came here to see me jump, so I wanted to give them a good performance.”

“This year I focused on the Olympics, the record came naturally because I was in good shape.”

“So I’m not surprised by today’s record, but I am grateful for it.”

In the 3,000 meters, Ingebrigtsen, who lost his Olympic title in the 1,500 meters but won the title in the 5,000 meters, held his hands in front of his face in amazement and then, open-mouthed, on his head after posting a time of 7:17.55s.

The 23-year-old Norwegian improved the 28-year-old time of Kenyan Daniel Komen by more than three seconds.

“It feels special, great,” said Ingebrigtsen.

“I had hoped to break the world record here, but based on my training I can never predict exactly what time I can achieve.

“I never thought I could run 7:17.”

Kenyan Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi had hoped to break the 800m world record of his compatriot David Rudisha, who won gold in London in 2012, with a time of 1:40.91s.

Wanyonyi’s lead was stolen by his great rival at that distance, the Canadian world champion Marco Arop. He seemed on his way to breaking the record himself, but crashed in the final meters.

Arop, who took silver behind Wanyonyi in Paris earlier this month, finished in 1:41.86s.

Expectations were high for Wanyonyi after he came within 0.20 seconds of Rudisha in Lausanne last Thursday.

Still, he didn’t sound particularly enthusiastic about the hype surrounding his possible record-breaking performance.

“My body didn’t respond well, but I did my best,” he said.

“I don’t like it when people say I’m going to break the world record.”

“I don’t want to say anything about the record.”

‘Fire in me’

Another African Olympic champion, Letsile Tebogo, made no mistake in the 200m. The 21-year-old from Botswana impressively raced past American Kenny Bednarek, who had entered the straight, to win.

Tebogo, who received two houses and a diamond after the Olympics, set a competition record of 19.83 seconds.

Femke Bol and Karsten Warholm both improved their competition records in the 400m hurdles for women and men, showing that they were able to shake off the disappointment of missing out on the Olympic title in Paris.

Dutch star Bol wept after failing to challenge Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in Paris, finishing third. However, the American’s absence allowed her to win her second Diamond League race in a week, with a time of 52.13 seconds.

Warholm had to deal with his disappointment at the Olympics when Rai Benjamin dethroned him. The Norwegian did it in the best possible way in a time of 46.95 seconds.

“I wanted to do this race well before the Diamond League finals, so it feels good to see the momentum after the Olympics,” said Warholm.

“It was hard to get up after such a big game, but today it felt good.”

The charismatic 28-year-old said he hoped he would never again run as flat as he did in the Olympic final, where he still won silver.

“I didn’t have it in me on the most important day of the year,” he said.

“We need to get back to work and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“As long as I have the fire in me, which is still burning now, I will continue.”