Monaco (AFP) – A tilt at a 16th world record might not have manifested itself, but newly-minted Monaco resident Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis was greeted like royalty at his new "home" Diamond League meeting.
Issued on: 11/07/2026 - 09:40
3 min Reading time
Duplantis had gone down on bended knee to beg meet organisers to include the men's pole vault in the programme for the 10th of 15 legs on track and field's elite one-day circuit.They acquiesced to his request and the US-born Swede found himself up against five rivals at a packed Stade Louis II on Friday.As often happens come competition, Duplantis soon found himself hogging the limelight as the other vaulters quickly fell by the wayside.Duplantis bettered the meet record by 2cm to 6.07m, but failed with three attempts at 6.15m.Getting anywhere near his world record of 6.31m set in Sweden in March was seemingly well out of the picture, notably on a raised runway that was bouncy on approach.When the two-time Olympic and three-time world gold medallist takes to the track, the expectation nowadays from baying crowds is a world record showing, such is his total dominance of the event.On his third failed attempt at 6.15m, Duplantis raised his head to the sky, disappointment etched all over his face.But that temporary glitch, albeit coming after yet another dominant victory, soon turned to scenes of joy and adulation as he was cheered by a packed crowd."The competition fulfilled my expectations, the crowd over-exceeded my expectations," Duplantis said."It was maybe a little bit underwhelming in my own mind, in my own eyes, but I am trying to stay positive and trying to take only the positives away from it -- that I still came with the win and the meeting record."I think there was some more to give."Feel at home
