Armand Duplantis, the Swedish pole vault sensation, has once again demonstrated his extraordinary prowess, capping off a remarkable season with a meet record at the Diamond League Final in Brussels. Despite not reaching his world record heights, Duplantis' performance was a testament to his consistency and dominance in the sport.
A Stellar Performance in Brussels
At the Diamond League Final, Duplantis cleared 5.92 meters, a height no other competitor could match. He then successfully vaulted 6.11 meters on his first attempt, setting a new meet record. This was one centimeter more than his own Memorial Van Damme record set last year. However, Duplantis decided to stop after this jump, citing fatigue.
"My legs felt terrible tonight and I'm just really tired," Duplantis said. "It's been a crazy couple of weeks: The race against Karsten and then I had to jump the day after. That took a lot more from my body than I expected."
Despite the physical toll, Duplantis expressed satisfaction with his performance. "With 6.11 I got a good result, but the world record wasn't meant to be. It's not easy to do better each time. Everything needs to come together. I had some good jumps tonight and I'm really happy about that. Now it's time to celebrate my beautiful season."
A Remarkable Season
Duplantis' season has been nothing short of extraordinary. He broke the world record three times this year, with the second instance coinciding with his second Olympic gold medal in Paris. His most recent world record was set in Poland on Aug. 25, where he cleared 6.26 meters.
The season has been grueling, with Duplantis also competing in a 100-meter race against 400 hurdles world record-holder Karsten Warholm in Zurich. This victory, while impressive, took a significant toll on his body, impacting his performance in Brussels.
Competitive Landscape
The Diamond League Final was a showcase of elite athleticism beyond Duplantis' pole vaulting feats. Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the men's 1,500 meters in a thrilling photo finish, clocking in at 3:30.07. Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya was a close second, and Cole Hocker from the U.S. finished third by a mere 0.01 seconds.
In the women's 100 meters, Olympic champion Julien Alfred triumphed with a time of 10.88 seconds, while Dina Asher-Smith and Marie Josee Ta Lou-Smith followed. Notably, world champion Sha’Carri Richardson finished eighth.
The men's 100 meters saw Jamaica's Ackeem Blake win in 9.93 seconds, narrowly beating Americans Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley. Meanwhile, Australian discus thrower Matthew Denny broke a 40-year-old meet record with a throw of 69.96 meters, surpassing the previous record by two centimeters.
Conclusion
Armand Duplantis' meet record in Brussels is a fitting end to a season marked by incredible achievements and relentless competition. His ability to consistently perform at the highest level, despite the physical and mental demands, underscores his status as one of the greatest pole vaulters of all time.
As Duplantis and his fellow athletes look ahead to the next season, the anticipation for more remarkable feats continues to build. For now, Duplantis can celebrate a "beautiful season" and the promise of even greater heights to come.
