Armand Duplantis, a world gold medal in the pole vault and a few cold sweats before Paris – Libération

The Swedish prodigy retained his world pole vault title at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Scotland. After a laborious qualification, he was the only one to clear 5.95 m, then 6.05 m. His best performance of the winter.

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He almost had his eyes bigger than his pole. Armand Duplantis retained his title of indoor world champion on Sunday March 3 by clearing 6.05 meters in Glasgow but the American-Swedish athlete suffered some scares by trying at all costs to improve his own world record ( 6.23m).

After clearing 5.65 meters without problem but displaying a frustrated pout, the 24-year-old athlete stumbled twice at 5.85 meters before crossing the bar on his final attempt. He was then the only one to clear 5.95 m, then 6.05 m. His best performance of the winter.

For the moment, “Mondo” (his nickname)’s plan to become world and then Olympic champion consecutively still stands.

Sunday evening, Duplantis even attempted a bar at 6.24 m to set a new world record before failing. “He said he could jump 6.30 meters, I’m not going to contradict him. I think he knows himself very well. He is building his legend,” explained Valentin Lavillenie, Renaud’s brother, also a high-level pole vaulter, this summer in Libé.

In Glasgow, the American Sam Kendricks took second place with 5.90 meters ahead of the Greek Emmanouil Karalis (5.85 m). Fifth in the Worlds last summer and contender for the podium in Scotland, the Frenchman Thibaut Collet missed his competition and only cleared one bar (5.65 m), far from his ambitions and his record established ago 10 days (5.92 meters).