XIAMEN, China (AP) — Armand Duplantis broke his own world record in the pole vault when he cleared 6.24 meters Saturday at the season-opening Diamond League meet in China.
Sweden’s Duplantis told a pre-meet news conference that he never puts limits on himself and was always capable of a record.
The Olympic and two-time world champion proved that Saturday night, setting a world record for the eighth time in his career as he surpassed the mark of 6.23 he set last September at the Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon.
“This is my first time in China and it’s exciting to get my season going,” the 24-year-old Duplantis said.
Known as Mondo, Duplantis entered the competition at 5.62 metres and also cleared 5.82 and 6 metres before attempting the record and clearing it at his first try.
Sam Kendricks placed second at 5.82, followed by Huang Bokai at 5.72.
The first night of the outdoor season finished off with Christian Coleman winning the 100 metres in 10.13 seconds from fellow American Fred Kerley, who placed second in 10.17. Ackeem Blake of Jamaica was third in 10.20.
Gudaf Tsegay, who holds the world record in the women’s 5,000 metres, ran the third-fastest time in the history of the women’s 1,500-metres to win in 3 minutes, 50.30 seconds. Her fellow Ethiopians Birke Haylom and Worknesh Mesele were second and third.
In an upset in the women’s 200 metres, 19-year-old Australian Torrie Lewis beat 100-metre world champion Sha’Carri Richardson in a tight finish.
Lewis, running in the outside lane, won in 22.96 seconds, holding off Richardson in 22.99.
World champion Marileidy Paulino won the women’s 400 metres in 50.08 seconds, holding off Natalia Kaczmarek and Britton Wilson.
Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won the women’s 100-metre hurdles in 12.45 seconds, edging Devynne Charlton and Cyrena Samba-Mayela.
