LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Armand Duplantis didn't break any records Wednesday in his first pole vault competition since his stunning performance at the Paris Olympics, but he simply performed well.
As the sun set on a calm 24-degree Celsius (75-degree Fahrenheit) night, with strong gusts of wind blowing off Lake Geneva, Duplantis cleared 6.15 meters on his third and final attempt.
“I need perfect conditions again this year to jump the world record,” Duplantis told reporters.
The athlete known as “Mondo” performed like a rock star at the 80,000-seat Stade de France two weeks ago, leaping 6.25 metres (20 feet 6 inches) over the bar to break his ninth world record.
The 24-year-old Duplantis received similar acclaim in a more intimate setting on Wednesday, competing at a special venue on the lakeside in Lausanne, home to the International Olympic Committee, surrounded by 5,000 fans.
“It was really good today, just a really great energy and atmosphere,” Duplantis said. “When you're that close to the crowd, it really feels like a great connection.”
He paused to get the wind out of his system and then comfortably cleared 6.00 on his first attempt.
Less than ideal conditions prevented the American-born Swede from setting a 10th world record in his illustrious career.
“There was just a little bit of a headwind,” he said. “We just didn't have enough speed on the runway.”
Still, it was a fine performance for the historic Athletissima tournament and an appetizer for Thursday's Diamond League competition, which will feature a host of Olympic medallists.
At the very least, the views have been world-leading in track and field this season.
Duplantis, her fellow vaulters and fans enjoyed a free tour around a specially-built arena in a public square, gazing across a sun-drenched lake to the snow-capped peaks of the French Alps.
As he competed on bars in 5.62 seconds, dozens of fans pulled out their cell phones to film the star's performance, before effortlessly clearing 5.82s and 5.92s.
“You can see the faces of the crowd and you can see how passionate they are,” Duplantis said of the city center events some tournament promoters set up to bring fans closer to the sport. “You can see how excited they are to have me here and they want me to jump high. They're behind it.”
No other competitor could top 5.92 metres, the best achieved by American Olympic silver medallist Sam Kendricks.
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