Armand Duplantis, the pole vaulting sensation from Sweden, capped off an unbeaten season with a stunning victory at the Diamond League finals in Brussels on Friday. This win marked his 15th and final triumph of the year, during which he set and broke his own world record three times, reaching a height of 6.26 meters. At the King Baudouin Stadium, despite the chilly conditions, Duplantis showcased his dominance by clearing 5.62 meters, 5.92 meters, and 6.11 meters, the latter setting a new meeting record.
Greece's Emmanouil Karalis finished in second place with a height of 5.82 meters, edging out Belgian athlete Ben Broeders on countback. Duplantis admitted to feeling unusually fatigued, attributing his tiredness to a pre-event 100-meter race against hurdles star Karsten Warholm in Zurich the previous week. Although Duplantis achieved a solid result with his 6.11-meter vault, he expressed disappointment that he could not surpass his own world record at this event.
Reflecting on his remarkable season, Duplantis plans to celebrate his achievements with some well-deserved Belgian beers. Despite the slight letdown of missing the world record, he was upbeat about the overall success of the season and the opportunity to unwind after an impressive performance year.
The opening session of the two-day Diamond League finals was filled with excitement and featured many top athletes, including Olympic champion Julien Alfred. Alfred won the 100 meters in a time of 10.88 seconds, turning the tables on US rival Sha'Carri Richardson, who had beaten her in Zurich the previous week. Richardson finished eighth in the field with a time of 11.23 seconds, while Alfred expressed her joy at concluding her season with a victory.
ADD A COMMENT :