Swedish athlete Armand Duplantis, 26, has clinched the European pole vault title for the fourth consecutive time, achieving a height of 6.15 meters at the championships held in Birmingham. Emmanouil Karalis from Greece finished in second place with a jump of 6.00 meters.
The Alexander Stadium in Birmingham witnessed another triumphant performance by Duplantis during the final day of the European Championships. Earlier this year, his aura of invincibility was slightly tarnished when he faced his first defeat of 2023 on June 7, during the Diamond League event in Stockholm, ending a 40-win streak. However, he bounced back with two subsequent victories in the Diamond League events in Paris and Monaco, leading up to his fourth European title.
Duplantis has dominated the pole vault event at the European Championships, having won titles in 2018, 2022, 2024, and now 2026. The final commenced at 19:15 local time and concluded several hours later with his victory.
He began the competition at a height of 5.55 meters, successfully clearing it on his first attempt, which was a strategy shared by eight other competitors. Following this, he cleared 5.85 meters, reducing the competition to just three athletes, who ultimately occupied the podium spots.
French competitor Baptiste Thierry cleared 5.85 meters on his first attempt but failed three times at 5.95 meters, securing a bronze medal. In contrast, Karalis kept the suspense alive, clearing 5.85 and 5.95 meters on his first attempts and reaching 6.00 meters on his second.
Duplantis Wins with Competition Record
Duplantis cleared 6.00 meters on his second attempt, eliciting cheers from the crowd. He then focused and successfully jumped 6.10 meters and 6.15 meters, setting a new competition record on his first opportunity at that height. Meanwhile, Karalis was unable to clear 6.10 meters on his first attempt and attempted 6.15 meters on his second, but was unsuccessful, concluding the European final.
“I just need to focus on myself and jump as I know I can,” Duplantis stated after qualifying. “I have to jump high; that is the most important thing for me. There are many great opponents, like Emmanouil Karalis,” he noted, acknowledging the future silver medalist.
Duplantis also shared that he sometimes wears his wedding ring during competitions if he forgets to take it off, but usually keeps it tied to his shoelaces. He married model Desire Inglander earlier this year, and she has been a supportive presence in the stands, celebrating his victories since they started dating in 2020.
