Armand “Mondo” Duplantis had a big win in the Diamond League’s season opener on Saturday, but failed to improve on his world record.
There were surprises in the men’s 100m race as Gift Leotlela of South Africa beat Ferdinand Omanyala and Kenneth Bednarek in a photo finish to win the Diamond League event for the first time.
The elite women’s 200m and 100m were won by Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson and Olympic champion Masai Russell respectively, but Karsten Warholm shocked in the 300m hurdles.
Duplantis had already won the pole vault after only two jumps before achieving a new Shanghai meet record of 6.12 meters.
The Swede, who has not lost a competition since 2023, climbed to a world record of 6.32m but failed in all three attempts to beat his old mark.
Duplantis said he felt the record was possible.
