Poles apart: Duplantis sets his eighth world record
Peerless pole vaulter Armand Duplantis has raised his own world record once again - to 6.24 metres - at the first Diamond League meet of the season in Xiamen, China.
Sweden's Duplantis cleared the height at his first attempt to better his mark from September 2023 by one centimetre. He had earlier also cleared 5.62m, 5.82m and 6.00m without a foul.
American Sam Kendricks was a distant second with 5.82m.
Duplantis, 24, has ruled the discipline in recent years and Saturday marked his eighth world record since he surpassed the previous mark of 6.16m set by Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie.
Duplantis is the reigning Olympic champion, owns two world titles and two European titles, and is also the hot favourite to retain his Games crown in Paris.
He bettered his previous mark of 6.23m set at the Eugene Diamond League finale in September, clearing the bar with ease before leaping up off the sponge mat below and racing off in celebration at his first outdoor event of the year. He was the only man to clear six metres at the Egret Stadium.
"This is my first time in China and it's exciting to get my season going," said Duplantis, who retained his world indoor title in Glasgow last month with a 6.10m clearance.
Worryingly for his opponents, Duplantis felt there was plenty of improvement to come.
"It's definitely possible to go higher, conditions willing. I'm going to try to maximise the most out of every day," Duplantis said.
"There's definitely more to give. I don't think the jumping was really perfect today even leading up to the 6.24. The 6.24 felt really nice.
"I think there's still some way to go and still more to push and some higher heights in me for sure."
Hendricks heaped praise on the Louisiana-born Duplantis.
"He's got God's hand on his back," Hendricks said. "I've been a champion before. 'Mondo' has been my vice-champion. I've seen him from (when he was) a 14-year-old come all the way up.
"I'm ever joyous to be second behind a world record-holder. I know he works so hard. He goes all over the place and he's becoming the true champion we all want him to be."
In the women's 200m, Australian Torrie Lewis also enjoyed a stunning Diamond League debut, as the 19-year-old beat a strong field of American rivals that included Sha'Carri Richardson to claim gold with an effort of 22.96 from lane nine.
Richardson, winner of the 200m bronze at last year's world championships, finished second in 22.99 ahead of her compatriots Tamara Clark, Anavia Battle and Twanisha Terry.
World champion Marileidy Paulino earlier captured the first track gold of the Diamond League season in the women's 400m as the Dominican eased home in 50.08 seconds ahead of Natalia Kaczmarek (50.29) and Britton Wilson (51.26).
Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn then set the pace in the women's 100m hurdles, the Puerto Rican cruising to victory in 12.45 seconds.
Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, the world-record holder in the event, only managed fifth place in 12.58 seconds.
In the men's 100m event Christian Coleman began his Diamond League title defence with a solid sprint of 10.13 seconds to beat fellow American Fred Kerley who came in at 10.17.
Gudaf Tsegay won the women's 1500m in 3:50.30 - the third-fastest time ever - behind Kenyan Faith Kipyegon's world record 3:49.11 and Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba's 3:50.07.
With Reuters