Duplantis clears 6.30m to set 14th world record, wins third straight world pole vault title in Tokyo

Armand Duplantis produced a final-attempt world record to win a third consecutive world pole vault title in Tokyo, becoming the first person to clear 6.30 metres and claiming the 25-year-old's 14th world record.

Duplantis secured the gold with a first-time clearance at 6.15m to end a strong challenge from Greece's Emmanouil Karalis, then raised the bar to 6.30m. With the stadium silent by his request, Duplantis cleared the height on his last attempt and celebrated as Japan's National Stadium erupted. "To be able to give you guys this world record is just amazing," he told the crowd after 23:00 local time.

Karalis took silver and has risen to fourth on the discipline's all-time list. The Greek vaulter was visibly respectful of Duplantis during the contest, holding a fan for his rival between attempts as the crowd watched the drama unfold. The captivated audience remained in the stadium long after other events had finished to witness the record attempt.

Duplantis, a two-time Olympic champion, has now won the past eight global men's pole vault gold medals on offer across indoor and outdoor competitions, and returned to the Tokyo stadium where he first claimed a major global title four years earlier. The new mark is his 14th career world record and, according to organisers, his fourth improvement on the world record in 2025 — the most times he has raised the mark in a single year.

The win continued Duplantis's sustained dominance of the event. He sealed the championship by clearing earlier heights efficiently, forcing rivals to chase him at the highest bars. Karalis, who matched a season of career-best performances to reach the podium, pushed the champion but could not overtake him.

Spectators and fellow competitors acknowledged the moment as historic. After the successful 6.30m clearance, Duplantis leapt from the landing mat and began his on-field celebrations as the crowd cheered. Event officials completed the formalities and recorded the new world record as meeting staff and media documented the attempt.

Duplantis's performance adds to a period of exceptional consistency at the top level of pole vaulting, extending a sequence of major titles and world-record resets that have redefined the event's benchmark heights. More coverage and reaction to the competition are expected as teams and athletes reflect on the result in the coming days.