LAUSANNE, Switzerland : Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis cleared 6.21 metres to win the Lausanne Diamond League pole vault on Thursday, but fell short in two attempts to improve his own world record.
Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis finished second with 6.16 metres, while Australia’s Kurtis Marschall was third with 5.91.
Duplantis was beaten for the first time in three years in Stockholm in June, ending a run of 40 consecutive victories, before withdrawing from the London Diamond League the following month with a groin problem.
The world record holder looked back to his best in Lausanne, clearing 6.16 and 6.21 on his first attempts.
Karalis, who had earlier matched Duplantis at 6.16, missed twice at 6.21 before raising the bar to 6.26 with his final attempt, which would have been a nine-centimetre personal best. He was unsuccessful.
Duplantis then attempted 6.32, but failed twice to improve on the world record of 6.31 he set in March.
“I’m tired,” Duplantis said, laughing. “But no, I feel really good. I feel really happy. Just such an amazing competition.”
The Swede, who has broken the world record 15 times, said the strength of the field had pushed him to perform.
“Everybody jumped so well, and so I just felt like I really had to step it up, and I’m glad I just jumped really well and I jumped really high.”
Duplantis won his fourth successive European title in Birmingham last week and will now turn his attention to next month’s inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.
The men’s pole vault was held at Place de la Navigation in Lausanne’s Ouchy district on the shores of Lake Geneva, a venue that allowed spectators to watch the competition from close range.
“I really love jumping here, I think this venue is amazing, the city is amazing, all the people who came here are amazing,” Duplantis said. “So yeah, I can’t wait to be back next year.”
