Swedish pole vault sensation Armand Duplantis thrilled fans in his home country on Thursday night but fell just short of rewriting history, failing three times to clear 6.28m—a height that would have shattered his own world record.
A Night of Highs and Almosts
Coming off a jaw-dropping 6.27m clearance just two weeks ago in Clermont, France—the 11th world record of his career—Duplantis was looking to push the bar even higher on home turf. However, he had to settle for a dominant victory with a 6.05m clearance, still a remarkable feat.
“I’m a little annoyed but happy at the same time because it was a great competition and I did my best,” Duplantis told SVT after the event. “I shouldn’t complain—it felt like an Olympic final.”
How It Played Out:
Cleared 5.65m on his first attempt
Comfortably sailed over 5.90m and 6.00m
Became the only athlete to succeed at 6.05m
Three unsuccessful attempts at 6.28m, despite deafening support from the crowd
The electric atmosphere in the arena, along with encouragement from fellow competitors, wasn’t enough to help him realize his “biggest dream” of breaking the record on home soil.
Eyes Set on 6.30m
Duplantis, who has publicly set a season goal of 6.30m, will have another shot at making history at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, later in March.
🏅 The Podium Finishers:
🥈 Emmanouil Karalis (Greece) – 6.00m (fresh off his European Indoor Championship win)
🥉 Sam Kendricks (USA) – 5.90m
With the Paris Olympics looming, Duplantis remains the man to beat. The question now is: Will he make history in China or save his magic for the Olympic stage?
