World Athletics C’ships: Duplantis breaks pole vault world record for 14th time, India’s rough run continues
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Armand Duplantis Shatters Pole Vault World Record Again at World Athletics Championships
In an electrifying moment on the third day of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sweden’s Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis made history once more. The pole vault superstar broke his own world record for the 14th time, soaring to an incredible 6.30 meters on Monday. With the gold medal already secured, Duplantis pushed himself to new heights, nailing the jump on his third try after grazing the bar twice before.
"I am so happy, I cannot explain it," Duplantis shared with Olympics.com. "For the past two weeks, I really enjoyed being in Tokyo. I have been enjoying everything so much. I feel the only way to leave Japan was to set the world record. That was my mentality." This victory marks his third straight outdoor World Championships gold, following triumphs in Oregon 2022 and Budapest 2023.
Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis grabbed silver with a strong 6.00-meter leap, while Australia’s Kurtis Marschall took bronze at 5.95 meters. At just 25, Duplantis has become a must-watch star in pole vault events. His trophy cabinet boasts 14 world records, two Olympic golds, three World Championships titles, and five Diamond League wins—putting him on track to be one of the all-time greats in athletics.
Remember his Paris Olympics 2024 gold? Duplantis told Olympics.com back then that 6.30 meters was his big dream: "I know I can jump higher, and I want to jump a lot higher. I would like to jump over 6.30m." Now that he’s done it, what’s next for the pole vault sensation? "I do not know what is next for me at this moment," he said with a grin. "I do not care. I will just enjoy this right now."
Tough Day for Indian Athletes at Tokyo Worlds
While Duplantis lit up the stadium, it was a challenging day for India’s contingent at the World Athletics Championships 2025. Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, the Asian Games silver medalist, couldn’t advance from the qualification round. The 26-year-old managed a best of 7.78 meters, along with jumps of 7.70m and 7.59m, finishing 14th in Group A and 25th overall out of 36 competitors. He needed 8.15 meters or a top-12 spot to reach the final, but it wasn’t enough.
Sreeshankar is bouncing back from a knee injury that sidelined him for the Paris 2024 Olympics. He came in strong, winning his last five events and hitting a season-best 8.13m at the Indian Open in Bhubaneswar last month. His personal best stands at 8.41m, close to Jeswin Aldrin’s national record of 8.42m. Back in 2022 at Oregon, he made the final and finished seventh with 7.96m—showing his potential.
In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, national record holder Parul Chaudhary clocked 9:22.24 to place ninth in her heat and 20th overall. Her record is 9:12.46, and she reached the final at Budapest 2022. Teammate Ankita Dhyani finished 11th in her heat with 10:03.22, ending 35th out of the field. Both needed a top-five finish to advance, but they fell short.
Hurdler Tejas Shirse, the national record holder at 13.41 seconds in the men’s 110m, ran 13.57 seconds for sixth in his heat. He placed 29th out of 42 athletes, missing the semifinals.
India’s medal haul at the World Athletics Championships remains slim, with just three in total: Anju Bobby George’s long jump bronze in Paris 2003, Neeraj Chopra’s javelin silver in Oregon 2022, and his groundbreaking gold in Budapest 2023. The Tokyo 2025 team features 19 athletes—14 men and five women—competing in 15 events, hoping to add to that legacy.
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