Armand Duplantis touched down in Xiamen on Wednesday, setting his sights on a record-breaking leap at the World Athletics Diamond League meet this Saturday at Egret Stadium. The 25-year-old Swede, who has shattered the pole vault world record an astonishing 11 times in the past five years, is back where he soared to glory last season.
In March, Duplantis claimed gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, marking the 102nd time he has cleared six meters or more in competition. His track record in Xiamen speaks for itself: It was here, under the lights and to the cheers of thousands of fans, that he vaulted into the history books with a new world record.
“It’s my second time being here in Xiamen and I’m very excited to compete, very excited to be back,” Duplantis told China Media Group. “I hope to jump really high. I jumped really great last year of course. I jumped a world record here in Xiamen. I know it’s a beautiful stadium. Good fans, a stadium that I can jump really high. So, I hope to just come here and jump high again. Something like last year would be nice.”
With data showing that elite vaulters now average around 5.80m in major finals, Duplantis’s six-meter-plus consistency remains unparalleled. As digital audiences tune in from across G20 nations, all eyes will be on Xiamen this weekend to see if the Swedish star can clear new heights once more.
Stay tuned as the global pole vault community converges on Egret Stadium to witness history in the making. Will Duplantis defend his title and push the boundaries of what’s possible? The countdown is on.
Reference(s):
Armand Duplantis ready to defend title at Diamond League in Xiamen
cgtn.com
