Mondo Duplantis kicked off the 2024 Wanda Diamond League season in Xiamen with an incredible performance, setting a new world pole vault record of 6.24m. The 24-year-old Swedish athlete, who is the reigning Olympic and world champion, cleared the height on his first attempt, surpassing his previous record set in Eugene last year.
Speaking about his experience in China, Duplantis expressed his excitement at getting his season underway in a new location. He had recently won the world indoor title in Glasgow with a clearance of 6.10m. With over three months left before he defends his Olympic title in Paris, Duplantis is in top form, having opened his outdoor season with a six-meter clearance only once before in Doha in 2022.
This latest world record is the eighth of Duplantis’ career so far, with his first record of 6.17m set in Torun in 2020. The record-setting performance in Xiamen is yet to be officially ratified but showcases Duplantis’ incredible talent and skill in the pole vault event.