Philippines’s Ernest John Obiena competes in the men’s pole vault event during the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League athletics meeting in Keqiao, Shaoxing in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on May 3, 2025. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP)
Armand “Mondo” Duplantis dominated the men’s pole vault at the Diamond League meet in Oslo on Thursday in another stellar display, while Filipino bet EJ Obiena bowed out early.
The US-born Swede remains head and shoulders above the rest, having bettered his own world record to 6.27 meters in February on the back of a 2024 season when he not only won Olympic gold but also broke the world record three times.
READ: Duplantis: No pole vaulter in history could match me jump for jump
He is the undisputed king of the event and was also named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for 2024. Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt is the only track and field athlete to have previously won the award.
Obiena was among three vaulters who failed to clear a height. Obiena, home hope Sondre Guttormsen, and Belgium’s Ben Broeders all bombed out after coming in at 5.62m.
FILE– Armand Duplantis gestures as he competes in the men’s pole vault event during the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League athletics meeting in Keqiao, Shaoxing in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on May 3, 2025. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP)
While the world’s top eight competed in Oslo, none proved to be anywhere near Duplantis’ level.
Duplantis skipped 5.72m along with Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, while American Sam Kendricks, Dutchman Menno Vloon and Turkey’s Ersu Sasma were eliminated after failing to clear the bar at that height.
READ: EJ Obiena goes into Worlds prep still as king of Asia
France’s 2012 Olympic gold medallist Renaud Lavillenie snuck through on his last attempt, but promptly withdrew from competition.
Duplantis and Karalis cleared 5.82m on their first attempts, but Australian Kurtis Marschall bowed out at that height.
That left just Duplantis and his Greek rival in the competition, but the latter had three failed efforts at 5.92m after the Swede had gone clear.
The bar was raised to 6.03m, 1cm more than the meet record he set in 2022.
READ: EJ Obiena wins third straight gold at Asian Athletics Championships
He needed three attempts, but did it on the third to wild applause from the 15,000-strong crowd at the Bislett Stadium.
The bar went up to 6.15m and he passed on the second go, but called it a night as temperatures dipped in Oslo.
“I am very satisfied,” said Duplantis after winning with a new meet record of 6.15 metres. “To get a stadium record here was in my plans after a few visits here with difficult conditions.
“It was great to finally get the right conditions tonight. It did get cooler so that was why I stopped jumping,” he said.
“On Sunday in Stockholm it would be an absolute dream to break the world record. In fact I could retire if I do! At the moment the forecast is good for Sunday and I am feeling good, I am in good shape and tonight shows I am jumping well so who knows, it may be possible.
“I need to build on tonight and get ready now for the big one.”
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Duplantis has now competed in 40 Diamond League meetings since 2020 and lost only four times, making him one of the series’ most extraordinary serial winners.
