Mondo Duplantis captures Mondo Classic title in front of home crowd, hits world lead 5.92m for 2024
The Olympic and world champ pole vaulter captured the event named for himself once again in Uppsala, Sweden. American KC Lightfoot also cleared 5.92m, but lost out on attempts. See the full results.
Athletics
Armand "Mondo" Duplantis has kicked off his 2024 year with a win at his own event, the Mondo Classic.
The reigning Olympic and three-time world champion (indoors and outdoors) in pole vault cleared 5.92m before missing all three attempts at 6.02m. It was enough to best Chris Nilsen's 5.90m in Reno, USA, last month for the best indoors so far this season.
Americans KC Lightfoot and Sam Kendricks finished in second and third, respectively, with Lightfoot also clearing 5.92m but having missed his first attempt at the height - while Duplantis went over on his first.
Kendricks soared over 5.82m but no higher at the competition, held in Uppsala, Sweden, on Tuesday (6 February) evening.
The 24-year-old Swede couldn't go as high as his 6.10m at this event from a year ago, but was otherwise satisfied starting what is an Olympic year with Paris 2024 looming this summer.
"I really felt like it was in the cards today, but it wasn't meant to be I guess," Duplantis said on the event's livestream. "To be able to come away with the win it definitely was the most important part. I wanted to jump higher, I think it was possible, but I had a tricky time on the runway today in terms of the poles. The poles felt soft - softer than I thought that they would.
"The atmosphere was fantastic. I wish I could have jumped a little higher for them. It just didn't happen today."
The event featured eight of the best pole vaulters in the world, including the shared bronze medallists from the World Championships last year, Chris Nilsen and Kurtis Marschall. They tied again here - though for sixth place.
Mondo Classic 2024 - pole vault - full results
*The Mondo Classic in Uppsala, Sweden, featured some of the best pole vaulters in the world. See the full results here. *
1. Armand Duplantis (SWE) 5.92m
2. K.C. Lightfoot (USA) 5.92m
3. Sam Kendricks (USA) 5.82m
4. Pål Haugen Lillefosse (NOR) 5.82m
5. Thibaut Collet (FRA) 5.82m
6. Kurtis Marshall (AUS) 5.67m
6. Chris Nilsen (USA) 5.67m
8. Ben Broeders (BEL) 5.52m