Duplantis keeps raising the bar

EUGENE, Oregon — Armand Duplantis didn't exactly remember soaring over the bar to set a new world record at the Prefontaine Classic, but he knew what came next.

"I just looked up and the bar was still there," the Swede laughed.

Duplantis and Ethiopia distance runner Gudaf Tsegay both set new world records on Sunday to wrap up the season at the Prefontaine Classic track and field meet.

Known as Mondo, Duplantis leaped 6.23 meters. The reigning world champion broke his own record of 6.22 meters set indoors earlier this year.

He was swarmed by fellow competitors after clearing the jump before hopping onto the track's railing and striking a victory pose for fans at Eugene's Hayward Field.

"We're not only competitors, but we really are brothers and we have a great time together out there," Duplantis said.

"To see them embrace me like that after doing a jump, breaking a world record, I'm thankful. I just feel very thankful."

He has now reset the world record seven times. Five of those marks were set indoors, with both of his outdoor world marks coming at Hayward Field in Eugene, where he won the world title last year.

"I'm two for two right now on world records coming here to Hayward," Duplantis said. "It has absolutely everything. It has the history, it has the modern touch. The track is really fast, the crowd and energy is fantastic."

Duplantis retained his world title in Budapest last month with a clearance of 6.10m and cleared 6.12 in Ostrava in June.

He failed in a string of attempts at 6.23 since February, including at Brussels earlier this month, but said the smaller field in the finals was more conducive to a record attempt.

"I think that it's a lot easier to be fresh at that world record height," he said.

Duplantis had already secured victory with a height of 6.02 — the 73rd clearance of his career of more than six meters.

In his first effort at 6.23, with the crowd chanting, he raced up the runway and sailed over.

"I just try to jump high," said Duplantis, who believes he can continue to improve the record.

"The limit is very high, and I hope that I can continue to jump well and keep jumping higher than I did today."

Earlier in the day, Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay broke the world record in the women's 5,000 meters, finishing in 14:00.21.

Tsegay bested the record of 14:05.20 set by Kenya's Faith Kipyegon earlier this year in Paris. Tsegay's finish was nearly 12 seconds better than her personal best. Kenyan Beatrice Chebet was runner-up in 14:05.92.

Afterward, the 26-year-old Tsegay vowed to try to go under 14 minutes next year: "Yes, I try," she said.

The Prefontaine Classic, normally run in late May, was this year's final stop on the international Diamond League circuit. The 32 champions crowned during the two-day meet earned $30,000 apiece.

It was the last major international track and field competition before the athletes begin gearing up for the Paris Olympics next summer.

Canadian Andre De Grasse, the 200m champion at the Tokyo Olympics, won the event Sunday in 19.76 seconds to cap his season.

Shericka Jackson couldn't break Florence Griffith-Joyner's 35-yearold 200m world record, but the Jamaican's 21.57 was enough to complete a sprint double after her 100m victory on Saturday.

Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen followed up his sensational win in the mile on Saturday with victory in the 3,000m. In a photo finish with Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha, Ingebrigtsen crossed the line first in 7:23.63.

American Joe Kovacs had a monster throw of 22.93m in the men's shot put, ahead of native Oregonian and world-record holder Ryan Crouser.

Crouser was diagnosed with blood clots in his left leg just before winning the shot put at the world championships last month in Budapest. He's been on medication to shrink the clots.

"Super happy with the season. Had a lot of adversity this year that really wasn't planned — not that it ever is," Crouser said. "Wasn't expecting the issues that I had but I feel like I battled through it really well. I was overall really happy today with my performance."

American Athing Mu won the 800m in 1:54.97, a new national and meet record. Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic won the 400m in 49.58.

Femke Bol of the Netherlands triumphed in the 400m hurdles in 51.98, while Tobi Amusan of Nigeria took the 100m hurdles title in 12.33.

Among the men, Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya won the 800m in a meet record 1:42.80. Canadian Marco Arop finished second in 1:42.85, a new national record. Arop bested Wanyonyi at the world championships.

Tokyo Olympic champion Hansle Parchment of Jamaica pulled away late to beat world champion Grant Holloway in the 110m hurdles in a world-leading 12.93.

Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh edged Australia's Nicola Olyslagers in the women's high jump, both clearing 2.03m to improve on the world-leading height of 2.02m they shared coming into the meeting.

The two-day event opened Saturday. Among the winners were American Christian Coleman (9.83 sec) in the men's 100m and Jackson (10.70) in the women's event. Ingebrigtsen won the Bowerman mile, an event unique to the Prefontaine Classic, in a blistering 3:43.73.

Agencies