Duplantis flies to gold with ninth world record
Another Centimeter Higher: Armand Duplantis Delivers a Spectacular Show at the Olympics and Sets a New World Record Yet Again. The Gold Medal is Already His. No One Can Threaten the Flying Swede.
Armand Duplantis soared high, higher, and even higher. And as he cleared 6.25 meters, the Stade de France trembled. The Swedish flyer crowned his second Olympic victory with another world record - and provided a major highlight at the Paris Summer Games.
While German athletes went home empty-handed on Monday evening, Duplantis put on an incredible show. All other competitions had ended, all eyes on him, as he improved his previous best by a centimeter in his third attempt. This was his ninth (!) world record.
Thanks to a change in diet, Duplantis is now two kilos lighter than before, having already cleared over 6.24 meters in April. Under the ecstatic cheers of over 60,000 spectators, Duplantis added another centimeter. At just 24 years old, Duplantis has already won seven gold medals at major championships. He is the first pole vaulter to win back-to-back Olympic titles since Bob Richards in 1952 and 1956.
Immediately after his legendary jump, the world and European champion shared a kiss with his girlfriend Desiree, before celebrating to the sounds of "Dancing Queen" by Swedish band ABBA in the French national stadium.
German Finishes Fourth in Discus Throw
The other decisions were overshadowed by the spectacle. The very respectable fourth place of discus thrower Marike Steinacker (65.37 meters) was the best German result. The triumph of American Valarie Allman (69.50) saw Claudine Vita (63.62) finish sixth, while Kristin Pudenz disappointed three years after her silver medal in Tokyo, finishing tenth (60.38) and missing the final.
The German Athletics Association (DLV) had hoped for a second medal after Leo Neugebauer's silver in the decathlon, as German discus throwers have been among the world's best for several years. However, Steinacker from Leverkusen fell short by nearly two meters.
The next realistic chances for a German medal lie with Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo and European silver medalist Julian Weber on Thursday. Both will face qualification on Tuesday morning.
In the pole vault, Oleg Zernikel and Bo Kanda Lita Baehre took on the role of spectators early on. Both cleared only 5.70 meters and shared ninth place. Dominant Duplantis had only made one attempt at this point - and soon cleared 6.00 meters. His second Olympic victory was secured. The show could begin.
After his remarkable performance, Armand Duplantis is eagerly anticipated for his bid in the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, aiming to continue his dominance in pole vaulting. With his current form and record-breaking jumps, Duplantis is a strong contender for another gold medal.
Meanwhile, German athletes are looking towards their next opportunities for a medal, particularly Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo and European silver medalist Julian Weber, who will compete in the upcoming events in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
