LAUSANNE, Switzerland: Armand Duplantis was just excellent instead of record-breaking on Wednesday in his first pole vault competition since that stunning show at the Paris Olympics.
Duplantis cleared 6.15 meters on his third and final attempt despite strong gusts of wind blowing in off Lake Geneva as the sun set on a balmy 24 Celsius (75 Fahrenheit) evening.
“I need perfect conditions if I’m going to be able to jump the world record again this year,” Duplantis told reporters.
The athlete known as “Mondo” was like a rock star in the 80,000-seat Stade de France two weeks ago, soaring over the bar at 6.25 meters (20 feet, 6 inches) to break the world record for the ninth time.
The 24-year-old Duplantis got the same adulation in a more intimate setting Wednesday, competing in a pop-up venue circled by 5,000 fans next to the lake in Lausanne, the home city of the International Olympic Committee.
“It was really good today, really amazing energy and atmosphere,” Duplantis said. “You get such a cool connection with the crowd when they are so close to you.”
He cleared 6.00 with ease on his first attempt after taking a pause to let the breeze pass.
The less-than-ideal conditions meant there was no attempt at a 10th world record leap of the American-born Swede’s standout career.
“It was just that tiny bit of headwind,” he said. “I just didn’t have enough speed on the runway.”
Still, it was a best mark for the storied Athletissima meeting and an appetizer for the full Diamond League meeting on Thursday featuring a host of Olympic medalists.
The view, at least, was world-leading in this track and field season.
Duplantis, his fellow vaulters and their fans — who could watch for free circling the specially created venue in a public square — looked out across the sun-splashed lake to snow-capped mountains in the French Alps.
Dozens of fans pulled out their mobile phones to film the star attraction when he entered the competition with the bar set at 5.62. That was cleared with ease, as was 5.82 and 5.92.
“You get to put a face on the people and you see how passionate they are,” Duplantis said of the city-center event some meet promoters stage to bring the sport closer to fans. “I see how excited they are that I’m here and they want me to jump high. They’re pushing for it.”
No other competitor got above 5.92, the best height cleared by runner-up Sam Kendricks, the Olympic silver medalist from the US.
