Armand Duplantis of Sweden set a brand new world pole vault document of 6.22 metres at an indoor assembly in France on Saturday, describing it as “almost an out-of-body experience”.
Olympic champion Duplantis improved his personal document of 6.21m that he set in successful the world title outside in Oregon final yr.
Competing on the All-Star Perche assembly in Clermont-Ferrand, central France organised by 2012 Olympic pole vault champion Renaud Lavillenie, Duplantis cleared the brand new document at his third try and the delight of the 4,000-strong crowd.
Duplantis, 23, stated: “When you’ve gotten moments like this, when the vitality is so excessive, and also you’re taking place there for the document, it seems like levitating, it seems like my physique by no means even touched the bottom the entire soar.
“There’s one thing about it that simply feels overwhelming proper now, and I actually suppose it’s as a result of Renaud means a lot to me, he’s meant a lot to me since I first began, he’s been my greatest inspiration, greatest idol.
“He really motivated me, made me believe that I could break the world record. So for me to break the world record here, his hometown, his competition that he hosts…”
US-born Duplantis entered the competitors at 5.71m, clearing that top at his first try.
He handed at 5.81m and managed 5.91m on his second strive earlier than successful the competitors by clearing 6.01m on his first try earlier than having the bar raised to the document top.
It was the sixth time that Duplantis has damaged the world document.
He set the primary in Torun in February 2020, when he cleared 6.17m so as to add a centimetre to Lavillenie’s earlier world document of 6.16m that had stood since 2014.
“Each world record feels like it brings something a bit different out of me,” Duplantis stated. “Maybe the first one might have been a bit crazier, but this might be number two right now, it’s really unbelievable.”
He stated re-writing the document books now not left him with any nerves.
“The stress doesn’t actually really feel the identical anymore to me. I’ve proved lots the previous few years, the previous two years particularly, and I do know what sort of jumper I’m, what I’m able to.
“I know that I am deserving to be in the spot that I am.”
Duplantis is giving the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul subsequent month a miss so will give attention to the outside season and successful back-to-back world outside titles in Budapest in August.