UPPSALA, Sweden — Armand Duplantis broke the pole vault world record for the 15th time at the meet that bears his name in Uppsala, Sweden, clearing 6.31 meters on his first attempt.
The 26-year-old Swede broke the record he has owned since clearing 6.17m in 2020.
Duplantis only took four vaults at the indoor event in his adopted home town. After clearing 5.65m, 5.90m and then 6.08m, all on his first attempts, he asked for the bar to be lifted 23cm to a world-record height.
It was the second time Duplantis has broken the world record in Sweden. He cleared 6.28m in Stockholm last June, one of four world-record leaps in 2025.
“This is my home,” Duplantis told the crowd according to AFP.
“This is our home. That’s how it is. And you know that every time I’m on the track, I represent you. And I do it with great pride.”
“I am so proud to have been able to do this in front of you. I jump for myself, I jump for my family, but I also jump for you, for Sweden, and for everyone who supports me,” he said.
“If someone comes to Sweden to challenge me, they will find it even harder to beat me. I am very emotional right now.
“There was extra pressure because I wanted to achieve something different. Breaking the world record here is truly incredible,” he then told Swedish broadcaster SVT.
Duplantis said he lengthened his run-up to better control a stiffer pole.
“I tried to do something new and push myself to the limit. It’s a really great feeling,” he said.
Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen was second with a leap of 6.00m.
Emmanouil Karalis, who cleared 6.17m at the Greek indoor championship earlier this year, the highest by any vaulter other than Duplantis, failed three times at 6.00m.
Duplantis will have a chance to increase his brand-new world record at the World Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, at the end of March, when he will meet the Greek again.
