Mondo Duplantis Caps Off 2024 with Fourth Diamond League Trophy in Brussels

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Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis added yet another chapter to his illustrious pole vaulting career on Friday (13 September) by securing his fourth consecutive Diamond League Trophy. Competing at the Memorial Van Damme meeting in Brussels, which doubled as the Diamond League Final, the Swedish superstar capped off what he called a "beautiful" season with a stunning performance, clearing 6.11m on his first attempt.

Duplantis, the reigning world and Olympic champion, showed once again why he is in a league of his own, finishing well ahead of his competitors. His nearest rival, Emmanouil Karalis of Greece, managed a best of 5.82m, but the Greek, who won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was unable to challenge Duplantis further after failing to clear 5.92m. Despite Karalis's consistent effort, it was no match for the Swede’s supremacy on the day.

The third-place finish saw a tie between Belgium’s Ben Broeders and Sam Kendricks of the United States, both of whom also cleared 5.82m. However, due to an earlier fault in their attempts, they were relegated to joint-third. Kendricks, an Olympic silver medallist from Tokyo, couldn't manage to improve upon his performance, further cementing Duplantis's dominance.

No World Record This Time, but Another Meeting Record

Although fans were eager to witness yet another record-breaking feat from Duplantis after his world record vault of 6.26m in Silesia just last month, the 24-year-old didn't make an attempt to break his own mark this time. Nonetheless, his 6.11m clearance was more than enough to set a new meeting record, much to the delight of the Belgian crowd.

Reflecting on the event, Duplantis admitted that fatigue played a role in his decision not to push for a new world record. "My legs felt terrible tonight and I'm just really tired. It's been a crazy couple of weeks: the race against Karsten and then I had to jump the day after. That took a lot more from my body that I expected.” (As reported by Olympics.com)

Despite feeling the effects of recent competitions, Duplantis remained satisfied with his performance. "With 6.11m, I got a good result but the world record wasn't meant to be tonight. It's not easy to do better each time. Everything needs to come together,” he said, before expressing his happiness at ending the season on a high. “I had some good jumps and I'm really happy about that. Now it's time to celebrate my beautiful season: I will drink some good Belgian beers tonight, for sure!"

This victory in Brussels further established Duplantis's status as the undisputed king of pole vaulting, and as the 2024 season wraps up, all eyes will be on what heights he may reach next year.