ClERMONT-FERRAND: Vault sensation Armand Duplantis soared past the six-meter mark for the first time this season on Thursday, narrowly missing out on surpassing his own world record. The Swedish athlete clinched victory at the All Star Perche event in Clermont, France, clearing 6.02m. This remarkable feat, just days before the world indoor championships in Glasgow, marked Duplantis’s strongest performance of the year.
Despite the thunderous cheers from the 5,000-strong crowd, the 24-year-old faltered in his attempts to set a new world record at 6.24m, barely grazing the bar on his second try. Reflecting on his near miss, Duplantis expressed his belief that he was on the brink of rewriting history. “Yes,” he admitted, “I almost succeeded. It was very close. But everything has to be perfect.”
Optimistic about his performance, Duplantis stated, “I’m not going to complain too much, I jumped really well. It’s without a doubt my best meeting of the season. I knew I was at this level; I knew I could tackle 6.24m, I’m not that surprised.”
Earlier in the competition, Duplantis effortlessly cleared heights of 5.72m, 5.92m, and then 6.02m, surpassing the previous season’s best of six meters set by America’s Chris Nilsen.
Following Duplantis, Thibaut Collet of France secured second place with 5.92m, edging out Sam Kendricks of the United States on countback.
Before Thursday’s remarkable performance, Duplantis had struggled to reach the six-meter mark in his two previous appearances, starting with the event in Astana in January. His best jump of 5.92m was achieved at the Mondo Classic competition in Upsala, Sweden, on February 6.
