Diamond League in Brussels: Duplantis beaten

Armand Duplantis is not unbeatable. For the first time since Athletissima 2021, the Swede has not won a pole vault competition. This event happened in Brussels in the Diamond League.

‘Mondo’ Duplantis, having already missed a first bar at 5.61m, failed three times at 5.91m. A height yet far from his world record set at 6.21 m during the Worlds in Eugene.

But after a very busy season, the Swede is probably starting to feel a certain fatigue, both physical and mental. The contest was won by Filipino Ernest John Obiena, who cleared 5.91m on his third try.

Five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was beaten for the first time this season on the queen race. She was overtaken by her Jamaican compatriot Shericka Jackson, victorious by one hundredth. Fraser-Pryce (35), who had not started due to a hamstring muscle alert a week ago in Lausanne, ran his slowest 100m of the season (non-series) in 10”74.

The women’s high jump also saw a world best of the year set. Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh cleared 2.05m before failing three times at 2.10m, which would have been a new world record.

This ‘Memorial Van Damme’ took place without the Swiss athletes. The best of them raced in Lucerne recently and will compete next week in Zurich.

/ATS