Duplantis loses for first time in three years at home Diamond League meet in Stockholm

The streak ends

Armand Duplantis lost a pole vault competition for the first time in nearly three years on Sunday, finishing second at his home Diamond League event in Stockholm. The Swedish world record holder and double Olympic champion cleared 5.80 metres but failed twice at 6.00 metres and once at 6.05 metres. Australia's Kurtis Marschall won the event with a vault of 5.90 metres, clearing the height on his third and final attempt.

The defeat ended a run of 40 consecutive victories for Duplantis dating back to July 2023. During that streak the 26-year-old won an Olympic title, five world championship golds (three indoors, two outdoors), and 18 Diamond League wins. His last loss came at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on 21 July 2023, where he placed fourth behind American Chris Nilsen.

I felt a bit unfocused today and I really did not want to lose here in front of my family and fans. But hats off to Kurtis today who beat me fair and square and I have no excuses.

A rare off day

Duplantis showed signs of difficulty early, failing his first attempt at his opening height of 5.60 metres before clearing it on his second try. He passed 5.80 metres on his first attempt but then skipped 5.90 metres, a height Marschall cleared on his third jump. Duplantis missed twice at 6.00 metres and then raised the bar to 6.05 metres for his final attempt, which he also failed.

Windy conditions in the Swedish capital made jumping challenging. Duplantis had previously described the Stockholm venue as unreliable for pole vault, noting in an interview last September that there was roughly a 50 percent chance conditions would be impossible due to weather.

I would like to be a little angrier, but I'm not really. I apologise to everyone who is here. I would have liked to be a little better with you. At the same time, I'm getting married right after.

Marschall's breakthrough

For Marschall, the win represents a major career milestone. The Australian is a three-time world championship bronze medallist, including last September outdoors and this March indoors, in finals won by Duplantis. He joined the six-metre club last year and is one of the most consistent jumpers on the circuit. Marschall will be targeting a third consecutive Commonwealth Games title this summer, having won on home soil at the Gold Coast in 2018 and in Birmingham four years ago.

Werro shines in the 800 metres

Switzerland's Audrey Werro delivered the standout performance of the meet in the women's 800 metres, winning in 1:53.98. The time is the fastest by any woman in 43 years and set a Diamond League record. It bettered her personal best by nearly two seconds and moved her to third on the all-time list. Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson placed second in 1:54.33, lowering her own British record by almost three tenths of a second. That time is the fastest ever recorded by a non-winner over two laps.

Other events

In the women's long jump, Italy's Larissa Iapichino was beaten by a single centimetre. She led with a first-round jump of 6.84 metres (wind +2.1) but France's Hilary Kpatcha landed at 6.85 metres in the third round (wind +2.4) to take the win. Two-time Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo of Germany placed sixth with 6.70 metres. In the women's 100 metres, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won in 10.84 seconds, with Italy's Zaynab Dosso finishing fifth in 11.22 seconds. German athletes including Mihambo and shot putter Yemisi Mabry failed to reach the podium. The season's highlight will be the European Championships in Birmingham from 10 to 16 August.